


Seventeen

by LoveableLibra



Series: Living Through the Game [1]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: F/M, Lots of Angst, Reader-Insert, Some Fluff, sorry ahead of time
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-11
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-03-03 00:13:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 85,899
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13329414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveableLibra/pseuds/LoveableLibra
Summary: In the beginning, all you could see was darkness. It was as if you had faded into nothingness, the inky black hands of unconsciousness pulling you under. When you awoke, you were met with the horrifying reality of the killing game. Kids being forced to slaughter one another for the slim chance of freedom. You couldn't trust anyone, except for him. A part of you wondered if the mastermind realized the two of you knew each other, if they realized you were lovers. Did they put you together unknowingly, or had they meant to cause you despair?





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I've had this idea in my mind for the longest time and I had to finally get it all out. Basically, without going into too much detail, the premise is that before the game started you and Kokichi had been in a relationship. I'm hoping this will be a long fic, but knowing me I have no clue what the actual outcome will be. But judging by how long the damn prologue is, I have high hopes for the rest of the chapters!

Everything was dark. Everything was silent.

It was as if you had faded into nothingness, the inky black hands of unconsciousness pulling you under. You fought as you tried to escape it’s grip, but in the end it was all futile. The darkness enveloped your mind, taking over all your senses until your thoughts escaped you. And with that, reality drifted away, leaving you in a state of dreamless rest.

When you awoke, everything was the same. Your eyes fluttered open, but the only thing that met them was a wall of black. Any sounds around you were drowned out, barely recognizable to your ears. The one thing that changed however, was your sense of touch. The sides of your arms were pressed against the cool surface of metal, cramped in the small space you were confined in. Without thinking you reached out, your hand meeting with the same thin metal in front of you, except this time it moved. Swinging open from your touch, it revealed the bright light coming from the other side.

You stumbled forward, desperate to escape the dark prison that confined you. In doing so, your foot caught on a dip in the floor, leaving you to collapse onto the ground with a muted yelp. A pain bloomed on your knees from the impact, stinging as your bare flesh made contact with the concrete below.

Within the brief moment of silence after the fall, you heard a startled gasp from the space in front of you. Wincing, you pulled yourself up into a sitting position, wiping the dust off the palms of your hands onto your skirt as you looked to the source of the noise. Standing before you was a boy, dressed in a proper school uniform the same navy color as yours. His dark hair messily framed his face, and his expression showed one of pure shock as he took in your appearance, though it was quickly masked for one of neutrality.

“(y/n)?” he asked, your name rolling off his tongue like he had said it many times before, “Why were you inside a locker?”

You stood, brushing off your knees as you did so. The boy was the same height as you, if not an inch or two taller, and his violet eyes sparkled with a familiar flame you saw in them before. Mischief. Raising an eyebrow, you followed his gaze to behind you, being met with a pair of oxford blue lockers roughly the size of an average person. _That_ was what you were locked in?

“I don’t know, I just woke up in there,” you explained, a nervous edge to your voice as you spoke. You took in your surroundings, noting that desks that were haphazardly placed around the vicinity. It was a classroom, similar to the ones back at your old school, except those ones didn’t have barbed wire on the windows. “Kokichi where are we? Is this another one of your pranks?”

“No, I swear it isn’t. I just woke up here too, but I was sitting in a desk… Should we check to see if somebody is in the other one?” he said, pointing to the unopened locker beside yours. The whole situation filled you with unease, but you nodded to his suggestion anyways.

Together you both grabbed the handle of the door, pulling it open at the same time. The sight inside caused you to jump back, loosely gripping his arm in shock. It was another boy around your age, though his skin was a pale grey. His eyes opened, revealing an electric blue color almost unnatural for a human. Kokichi dragged you back with him, watching intently as the stranger looked around with a surprised expression.

His gaze landed on the two of you, causing him to jolt in confusion, ¨Who are you!? Were you the people who kidnapped me?¨

Your initial fear dissipated; so he was in the same boat as you two. Letting go of Kokichi’s arm, you went to reassure him, ¨No, we aren’t-¨

“Yes. We kidnapped you and stuffed you in this locker,” Kokichi interrupted, a malicious grin tugging at his lips, “And now we’re gonna have to kill you. Right, (y/n)?”

“As much as I’d like to mess around right now, it isn’t the time. Now stop scaring-”

Before you could finish, the other boy pushed past the two of you, running towards the door. He swung it open, disappearing into the hall leaving you in a stunned silence. You shot a glare at Kokichi, though he just waved you off with his signature smile. A moment later a loud scream ripped through the quiet, accompanied by the rapid thuds of footsteps sprinting away from the classroom.  

“What the hell?” you breathed out, voice light with concern.

Kokichi shrugged in return, placing his hands behind his head nonchalantly, “Dunno, but let’s get out of here. Whoever that was had the right idea, I’m getting tired of this place.”

“Are you sure that’s the greatest option right now? I mean that poor kid just screamed bloody murder. We have no idea what’s out there.”

“That just makes it exciting. Now come on,” he explained, grabbing the end of your sleeve as he trailed you behind him. At first you tried to object, but you knew all too well that Kokichi was not one to listen.

On the other side was a sight you would never be able to forget. The floors were cracked, weeds and grass growing through the concrete. It appeared unkempt, abandoned. To your right was a long hallway that lead to a large entrance hall, branching out to show various other corridors. It seemed calm, unlike what lied to your left. Standing at the top of a staircase was a large robot that towered over the two of you, the sides equipped with various different types of weaponry.

Without a second thought you both bolted in the opposite direction, veering right at the first branch before the entrance hall. The robot was on your heels, a metallic clang ringing out for every step it took, the noise getting louder as it got closer. As you ventured deeper into the building, the worse the structure got. At points the greenery that sprouted from the ground was so dense it was almost as if you were outside.

You barely had time to watch where you were going as you flew down the halls, Kokichi keeping a tight grip on your sleeve. He was much faster than you, practically dragging you after him as you tried to keep up. There were many forks in the corridors which you gratefully took, hoping to shake the robot off your trail, but in the end it was all futile. No matter how often you turned, how many paths you ventured down, the robot was somehow always a few steps away.

Finally, you were both trapped. Kokichi lead you down an empty hallway, but instead of a place to run you were met with a set of double doors. It was the only way out, the robot so close you couldn’t turn back. Without hesitating you both pushed through them, sprinting into what appeared to be a gym. You slammed the wooden door behind you, leaning your back against it with all your weight as Kokichi swiftly turned the lock.

With a sigh of relief you collapsed to the ground, pulling your knees up to your chest and burying your face in your arms. In your chest you could feel your heartbeat pumping against your rib cage, calming down as you caught your breath. From beside you, you could hear a similar exhale come from Kokichi, but it was caught in his throat midway.

“Um… (y/n)? Do me a favor real quick and look up.”

“Huh?” you grumbled, but as soon as you lifted your head you were met with the eyes of 15 other people on you. Each one looked to be around the same age, adorning different uniforms from various schools across Japan. They didn’t seem shocked by your presence, but you could see the look of concern in their eyes.

Kokichi inched closer to you as you stood, tugging on the sleeve of your uniform. His expression showed one of fear, but in the back of your mind you knew it wasn’t genuine as he joked, “(y/n)... I think I can see dead people.”

You couldn’t help but let out a giggle, covering your mouth with your hand. Though you knew the situation was strange, his humor calmed you down enough to regain some of your confidence. Deciding to approach the group, you heard multiple voices speaking over one another at the same time.

“Did you both get chased by that monster too?”

“What… are they? What do they want with us?”

“Should we check outside?”

“No, it could still be lurking out there!”

As the area erupted into chaos, one of the girls nearest to you spoke up. Her hair was long, descending down her back in golden locks, though she wore a baggy blue uniform that appeared rather unfitting. After clearing her throat to grab the group's attention, she began, “Wait! Now hold on everyone, instead of yelling we should at least try to figure out the situation we’re in.”

“But we don’t even know where we are, how can we possibly figure out the situation?” a voice rang out, a mix of agitation and fear present in their tone.

The girl sighed, “If we’re patient and work together, I’m sure we’ll be able to. We’re not going to get anywhere by yelling over each other, so the least we can do is stay calm for the time being.”

The room went quiet, but it showed a silent agreement with the girl. She was right, you wouldn’t be able to get anything done if all you did was argue and panic. She surveyed the group with a smile, that is, until an unknown voice echoed throughout the gym, “Sorry to keep you waiting, but thanks for _bear_ -ing with us!”

Suddenly you felt a rumbling from all around you, almost akin to that of an earthquake. As if they were hiding in the ceiling, five robots dropped down, surrounding the group in a confined circle. A scream escaped your throat as you jumped back, your hands subconsciously latching on to the collar of your shirt.

One of the guys nearest to you let out a panicked yell, his eyes widening, “The monsters are back! What do you want with us?”

The red robot began to respond, his voice sounding vaguely human as he did so, “We’re no monsters, we’re Exisals! Highly functioning robotic weapons!”

“Weapons!?” you exclaimed, the grip on your collar tightening. You could feel your blood run cold at the thought of it, these could kill you in a minute. They easily towered over even the tallest person in the group, probably able to crush them instantly if needed.

They ignored you, the blue one continuing with their speech as if he read your mind, “Should we take these for a spin by killing one of ‘em?”

“Wait! We can’t kill them with the Exisals. According to the schedule, the Exisals aren’t supposed to show up until later.”

“But… we’re in the Exisals right now.”

“We screwed up, we’re not supposed to be in the Exisals for our first appearance.”

“Well… why don’t we just get out of these mechs? It shouldn’t be too late for that.”

“Yeah, let’s do that! Okay, ready?”

At once, five object flew out from the Exisals, spinning in the air before landing on the ground in exaggerated poses. They resembled small bear stuffed animals, each the color coordinating with the Exisal they exited from. One by one they introduced themselves, speaking in unison right after, their voices clearly more human once out of the robots, “Rise and shine, ursine! We are… the Monokubs!”

No one said a word, in too much shock to muster up any cognitive sentences. Disregarding our surprise, Monotaro began, “See, were out of the Exisals now! Now we’re not so scary anymore, right? Right? Right?

“Hey, what’s up with these stuffed animals? How are they moving?” the boy from before asked, a grimace filled with fear gracing his features.

The blonde girl gasped, “Wait! You guys call yourselves… the Monokubs?”

“This _is_ exactly as I thought,” A voice from behind me said. I turned to be met with its owner, feeling a mysterious aura radiating off him. He was more serious than the others, unfazed about the scene before you, “But who’s behind all this? What’s up with all the ridiculous theatrics-”

“Shut up, you! All of you are reacting way too normally to this! It’s boring!” Monokid interrupted, agitation clear in his tone. He shot a glare to the owner of the voice behind me, though it was as he was a kitten trying to intimidate a lion.

“Actually… don’t their clothes seem kinda boring, too?” Monotaro asked.

Monosuke looked over the group carefully, “Wait a minute… You think maybe they haven’t been given their first memory yet?”

“Huh? That should’ve happened before they woke up…”

“Hey, who the hell are you punks!?”

You tilted your head in confusion, shouldn’t they know? Considering the events that unfolded in front of you, it would be logical to think they were the ones who brought everyone to this academy in the first place. Once again, another voice from behind you voiced their uncertainty, only this time it belonged to a girl, “What do you mean?”

Monosuke glanced up from underneath his glasses, “We’re just wondering… do you guys have Ultimate talents or anything like that?”

Your mind pulled a blank, Ultimate talent? Nothing you did could qualify as something that grand. Sure, you had things you were skilled in, but nothing you would consider your “Ultimate talent”. Scratching the back of your head, you averted your gaze to the ground, “I… don’t think I have one. I mean, nothing good enough to be considered one anyways.”

A chorus of agreements rung out all around you from the various students. Monokid let out a laugh of triumph at the sight, “I knew it! They haven’t gotten their first memory yet!”

“Ugh, so you all have forgotten your talents and become generic high school students. But, in your current state it’s pretty much useless to talk to you guys about this. The first thing we need you to do is remember your true selves,” Monosuke explained, though you could tell it didn’t do any good. You, along with the rest of the group, had confusion riddled all over your faces, “Let’s just do this already, no one wants to watch a bunch of generic high school whiners.”

“First, we’ll update your wardrobe so you guys look all cute and spiffy!” Monokid said, pulling out a bag in the process. The other Monokubs followed, and in unison they threw the contents in the air. Clothes flew around the area from a variety of different styles, each outfit landing with their respective owners.

In front of you fluttered down a mass of dark colors, landing perfectly on your body. It seemed that as soon as the new clothes were on, the old ones had vanished. Instead, replacing them were articles you’ve never seen before.

On your torso rested a loose violet top, neatly tucked into a black and white skirt. The sleeves were large and flared out, stopping right below your elbow. Just from the feeling you knew a pair of suspenders had replaced your old belt, while a new necklace hung around your neck with a heavy charm. Curiously, you picked it up and turned it around in your fingers, pressing a button on the side to open it up and revealing a detailed clock face. It was certainly pretty, but how did it relate to you?

Looking over to Kokichi, you found him in an equally puzzled state. He was clad in all white, save for the checkered scarf that rested around his neck. His hands were mindlessly fiddling with the thin fabric, much like he’d do with his hair. Shifting your gaze lower, two long belts hung off the back of his jacket, unfastened for what you assumed to be a stylistic choice. He turned to you, taking in your new appearance, “My, my, (y/n). I never took you for the dark type.”

You rolled your eyes, lightly shoving his shoulder, “Take a look at yourself, I’ve never once seen you wear this much white. Ever. It must be a new record.”

Before you could continue childishly bickering, Monophanie interrupted with a soft applause. She was practically glowing as she scanned the group, “Mh-hm! Looking good! Now you look more like Ultimates!”

“Next up is the memory you’ve all been waiting for. After the flashback light helps you remember your amazing talents, this story will begin for real,” Monosuke said, brandishing what you could only assume to be just that. It resembled a normal flashlight, but the extra embellishments decorating the handle proved it was anything but. Still in a state of bewilderment, you opened your mouth to speak, but before any words could come out he flipped the switch on, consuming your consciousness in it’s bright white glow.

And then the world went black.

 

* * *

 

Everything was dark. Everything was silent.

It was as if you had faded into nothingness, the inky black hands of unconsciousness pulling you under. You fought as you tried to escape it’s grip, but in the end it was all futile. The darkness enveloped your mind, taking over all your senses until your thoughts escaped you. And with that, reality drifted away, leaving you in a state of dreamless rest.

When you awoke, everything was the same. Your eyes fluttered open, but the only thing that met them was a wall of black. Any sounds around you were drowned out, barely recognizable to your ears. The one thing that changed however, was your sense of touch. The sides of your arms were pressed against the cool surface of metal, cramped in the small space you were confined in. Without thinking you reached out, your hand meeting with the same thin metal in front of you, except this time it moved. Swinging open from your touch, it revealed the bright light coming from the other side.

You stumbled forward, desperate to escape the dark prison that confined you. In doing so, your foot caught on a dip in the floor, leaving you to collapse onto the ground with a muted yelp. A pain bloomed on your knees from the impact, stinging as your bare flesh made contact with the concrete below.

Within the brief moment of silence after the fall, you heard a startled gasp from the space in front of you. Wincing, you dragged yourself up into a sitting position, wiping the dust off the palms of your hands onto your skirt as you looked to the source of the noise. Standing before you was a boy, dressed in a white outfit you were all too familiar with. His dark hair messily framed his face, and his expression showed one of pure shock as he took in your appearance, though it was quickly masked for one of neutrality.

“(y/n)?” he asked, your name rolling off his tongue like he had said it many times before, “Why were you inside a locker?”

Raising an eyebrow, you followed his gaze to behind you, being met with a pair of oxford blue lockers roughly the size of an average person. _That_ was what you were locked in?

“I don’t know, I just woke up in there,” you explained, a nervous edge to your voice as you spoke. You took in your surroundings, noting that desks that were haphazardly placed around the vicinity. It was a classroom, similar to the ones back at your old school, except those ones didn’t have barbed wire on the windows. “Kokichi where are we? Is this another one of your pranks?”

He held his hand out to you, which you gratefully took to pull yourself up from the ground. He shot you a grin, his violet eyes sparkling with a familiar flame you saw in them before. Mischief. Without warning he tugged you into an embrace, lowering his voice, “Maybe, maybe not. Who knows, I could’ve prepared a romantic getaway for the two of us, and now you’re the jerk ‘cause you got all freaked out. How could you be so cruel to me, (y/n)?”

Tears began to well up in his eyes, which you quickly dismissed as you pulled away, “Okay, cut it out. I know when you’re lying, Kichi, so don’t even try it.”

“You know me too well, (y/n). I just woke up here a few minutes ago, but I was in one of those desks. Speaking of that-” He peered over your shoulder, pointing to the unopened locker beside yours, “should we go check to see if somebody is in there?”

The whole situation filled you with unease, but you nodded to his suggestion anyways. Together you both grabbed the handle of the door, tugging it open at the same time. The sight inside caused you to jump back, grabbing his hand in shock. It was another boy around your age, though his skin was a pale grey. Thick lines came down from his eyes, which opened to reveal an electric blue color. His whole body was covered in metal, lights glowing down the center of his torso. Kokichi dragged you back with him, watching intently as the stranger looked around with a surprised expression.

His gaze landed on the two of you, causing him to jolt in confusion, "Who are you!? Were you the people who kidnapped me?"

Your initial fear dissipated; so he was in the same boat as you two. Letting go of Kokichi’s hand, you went to reassure him, "No, we aren’t-"

“Woah, are you an actual robot!? That’s so cool, can I touch you?” Kokichi exclaimed, his eyes lighting up at the sight. You sighed, once he got like this it was hard to stop him.

The boy backed away from him as he inched closer, “No you may not! I’m just like any normal human, I have boundaries!”

You quickly stepped between them before Kokichi could get any further, holding him back as he desperately reached over you to try and touch the robot, “I’m sorry about him, he can be a bit insensitive at times. I’m (y/n) (l/n), Ultimate Hypnotist. And you are?”

The boy relaxed, though he was still wary as he stepped out of the locker, his legs shaking, “My name is K1-B0, but you may call me Kiibo. I’m the Ultimate Robot.”

“So you are a robot!” Kokichi said, impatiently pushing past you, “Now get over here and let me touch you!”

“No!”

In the end, it proved useless to try and hold back Kokichi. You knew the hard way that when he wanted something, he wouldn’t stop at anything to get it. So instead, you took a seat in one of the open desks, kicking back to watch the scene that unfolded in front of you. Kiibo was running from Kokichi frantically as the smaller boy ruthlessly chased him around the class. Though you felt a twinge of pity for Kiibo, a part of you couldn’t help but let out a giggle.

The only thing that stopped them for a moment was the sudden presence of five teddy bears. Each one was a different color, standing in a line with exaggerated poses. They seemed to materialize out of nowhere, earning a scream from Kiibo once he spotted them. The blue bear at the right of the group yelled back, but you could tell it was feigned to tease him.

Your eyes widened as you pushed yourself farther into your seat, “What are these!? They’re like talking teddy bears!”

Once again the blue bear spoke, his intense tone matching the pose he was in, “We’re not stuffed animals, we’re the Monokubs!”

“Huh? Monokubs? What does that even mean?” Kokichi asked, tilting his head in confusion. It seemed he had forgotten about Kiibo, letting the robot move to the other side of the room as he watched the bears with a curious eye. You couldn’t blame him, this was _much_ more interesting. He took a daring step closer, “You must know where we are, right?”

The red bear in the center nodded, “This place is called the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles.”

“What? I’ve never heard of a school like that before,” you said, sitting upright. You knew there were academies around the country for gifted teens (considering you were one of them, it was common knowledge), but the name didn’t ring a bell.

“Well of course you haven’t. This school was made just for the seventeen of you!” the pink bear explained, her voice light and girly. Out of the lot she appeared the least intense, bringing you a wave of relief. But as soon as you felt it, it dissipated. What exactly did she just say?

“Seventeen?”

“Yeah, there are seventeen of you Ultimates at this school,” the yellow bear at the end said, pushing up his glasses, “Now quit your yapping and start exploring the academy already. It’s getting boring seeing you all clueless.”

And with that, before you had the chance ask anything else, the five of them disappeared just like they had shown up. It left you in a stunned silence, your mind trying to figure out what had just happened. Before you could poder any more however, Kokichi interrupted your thoughts, “I know that was weird and everything-” He turned to Kiibo, “-but that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Now get over here!”

Just moments later the classroom door slid open, revealing two people on the other side. The first was a confident-looking blonde girl, a rather sheepish guy behind her, hiding his eyes behind the bill of a hat. At the sight of the two boys they jumped back, startled from the sudden chaos.

“C’mon, wait up! Lemme touch your body a little, I’ve always wanted to be friends with a robot!” Kokichi yelled, cornering Kiibo as he tried to escape, “I’ll leave you alone as soon as you let me touch you… Or will I? I am a liar, after all.”

The girl gasped, placing a hand over her mouth as she gaped at Kiibo, “Wait, you’re a robot? Like, an actual, real robot?” She exclaimed, but suddenly after her expression went dark, “ Wait, you’re not one of those Monokub things, are you?”

Noticing they had company, the two stopped running, Kiibo tensing up even more, “Do not compare me to those toys! I’m not just any old robot, I’m Kiibo, the Ultimate Robot.”

Kokichi stepped in front of him, directing the two’s attention away from Kiibo, “That’s no fair, you can’t take all the spotlight! Here, I’ll introduce myself too, I promise it's way more interesting,” he asserted, straightening up his posture to take on a more confident stance, “I’m Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader!”

The girl was clearly puzzled by the two of them, and you didn’t blame her. Both of their talents were rather… peculiar. And so was yours, in all honesty. Pulling yourself up from your desk, you decided it was about time to introduce yourself, approaching the two, “I’m (y/n) (l/n), Ultimate Hypnotist. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

The girl was about to respond, her eyes filled with gratitude at your normalcy compared to the others, until a loud voice from behind you cut her off.

“Hey, do robots have dicks!?”

You tried to keep yourself composed, you really did, but before you could stop it a loud laugh escaped your lips. Even if you tried to make yourself seem professional in front of the other students, you had a clear childish side, and Kokichi knew that. As you wiped the corner of your eye, you let out a sigh and turned to him, “But do they?”

“(y/n), I thought you were on my side!” Kiibo exclaimed, hiding his face in his hands, “Please do not ask ridiculous questions!”

Eventually, the two who came to meet you introduced themselves as Kaede and Shuichi, before taking their leave shortly after to find the other students. You had to say, even though they did appear startled by Kokichi, you could see yourself becoming friends with them in the future. Either that, or they would become your new subjects to delude.

As you expected, only a few minutes after the other two left Kokichi grew tired of chasing around Kiibo, plopping down on the surface of the desk you rested at. At first you ignored his presence, examining your nails with deliberation as you pretended to be lost in thought. He let out a groan and waved a hand in front of your face, causing a smirk to tug at the corners of your lips.

“Ha, I knew it! You totally knew I was here the whole time. Wow, you’re so mean to me (y/n),” he remarked, crossing his arms childishly, “Just for that, I’m dragging you out of this classroom. No more relaxation for you!”

“Weren’t you just going to do that anyways?” you teased, picking yourself up from the chair to stand beside him.

He flashed you a grin, extending his hand to you, “Maybe, maybe not. But either way it’s extremely boring in here. Come on, let’s explore this place together. We might not be able to find a way out, but we could find something exciting!”

You intertwined his fingers with yours, “Alright, that sounds kinda fun. I guess I’ll go with you.”

“You never had a choice in the first place. Now let’s go!”

He practically ran to the exit, dragging you behind him as you tried to both slow him down and keep up with his pace. In the end you could only achieve the latter as he pulled you out the door, stopping once you set foot in the hallway. The floors were cracked, weeds and grass growing through the concrete. It appeared unkempt, abandoned. To the left appeared to be a staircase leading to the lower floor, while to your right extended a long hallway that lead to an entrance hall, branching out to show various other corridors.

He placed a finger to his chin, looking back and forth between the two options, ultimately opting to veer right. You heart sped up, if there was an entrance hall then surely there was an exit. Picking up your pace, you fell in step alongside him, gently swinging your hands back and forth with a giddy feeling in your chest. Maybe this was all just a prank, and as soon as you stepped outside you would be greeted with the smiling faces of people you knew, welcoming you back home after a quick laugh.

As you ventured deeper into the building, the worse the structure got. At points the greenery that sprouted from the ground was so dense it was almost as if you were outside. On top of that, it seemed that a faint mist had settled over the academy, leaving the longer corridors with a hazy, unclear view. The entrance hall was better, the floor made of a sturdy stone that showed no breakage, though bushes of pale yellow flowers had began to bud in the corners of the room.

From where you came you could see various different entrances, each with a label over the top. The first one your eyes were drawn to was the corridor opposite from where you were standing, labeled “west”, presumably to indicate the west wing of the school. Behind you was “east”, indicating the same thing, while between those two was a large set of wooden double doors, the word “south” proudly displayed above the frame.

That was the exit, there was no doubt about it. You could almost feel it’s presence dragging you towards it, beckoning you with the thought of freedom. Beginning to approach the doors, you felt your heart speed up with excitement. Kokichi however, was more skeptical.

“Do you really think this is the exit?” he asked, stepping forward to run his fingers down the carved design on the wood, “This is all… too easy. I don’t think those bear things would really let us leave this effortlessly.”

“Well, the only thing we can do is try it, right? There’s really no harm in that, and if I’m wrong then we can keep looking,” you explained, moving up to stand beside him as he analyzed the area curiously.

Much like with the locker he gave you a nod, and together you pushed open the doors.

The first thing that greeted you was a gust of wind, pushing back your hair and ruffling your clothes. Your eyes didn’t adjust right away, leaving you blinded by the bright light that overpowered the dim illumination of the entrance hall. Wafting into your nose was the scent of fresh grass, its presence alone enough to make you grin. You were right, it was the outside world.

Once your eyes finally adjusted your confidence faltered. You were correct in assuming it lead outdoors, but Kokichi had won that round, as for surrounding a large courtyard was a towering metal dome. It resembled a bird cage, but no exits could be seen. Warily, you took a step out of the building, trying to comprehend just where you were.

“What the hell is this?” Kokichi asked, sounding just as astounded as you felt, “I could understand us getting kidnapped and waking up in some weird building, but this is just on a whole nother level.”

“There’s got to be people on the other side, right? I mean, this thing is huge, someone has to know it’s here,” you mused.

He stepped further into the courtyard, his head tilted up as his eyes trained on the cage-like structure, “There’s no way this could be built in secret. Even if it was in the middle of nowhere someone would have to know about it.”

“You’re right. Do you think we should just take a look around here for now? Maybe try and find a way out?” you asked.

“Yeah, let’s get going”

Much like the inside of the academy, the courtyard was overgrown and rugged. The sidewalk leading out from the building was clear, but the area around it was covered in a variety of wild plants and vines. On top of that, a metallic noise rang out in the air, seeming to belong to the large machine working beside a circular structure in the distance. Exchanging a look of agreement with Kokichi, you headed towards the building.

From outside it didn’t appear to be much, though the word “dormitory” was printed across the side in bold grey lettering. Tilting your head in confusion, you read over the label again. Why would you need dorms in a place like this?

The inside was round as well, with two stories each home to a set of identical doors. You counted them out in your mind, lips moving silently with each number. Seventeen. It was such an odd amount there was no way it hadn’t been deliberate. As you thought, Monophanie’s words came back to you. There were seventeen students here.

From the second floor of the structure Kokichi called out to you, “(y/n), come here. I found something you really need to see.”

Raising an eyebrow, you bounded up the set of stairs to meet him. The first thing you noticed was his expression, uncharacteristically worried. That alone was enough to set you on edge, in addition to the realization you had came upon. With fretful eyes you followed his gaze to the top of one of the door frames, falling upon a white plaque. Printed onto it was a colorful pixelated drawing of a person, adorning dark purple hair and a checkered scarf. Each door had a similar one, though each depicted a different character.

“I was right… these are us. These rooms are meant for us, the students trapped here.” you said, fiddling with the clock pendant that hung around your neck, “Oh I really don’t like this. I’m getting such a bad feeling about this place. Why would we even _need_ dorms?”

He pulled you closer to him, his arm loosely resting around your waist, “They’re planning to keep us here for a while, that’s why. What I’m wondering is why they’re even keeping us here in the first place.”

As he finished his sentence, a loud ringing filled the area. Four tones played in succession, closely resembling that of the Westminster Chimes, before the static from a TV could be heard. Turning to the source of the noise, you were met with a large monitor proudly displaying the five Monokubs.

“Hi! Thanks for bear-ing with us!” Monophanie exclaimed, taking a sip from the pink colored drink in her hand, “Everyone, make your way to the gym please.”

An uneasy feeling settled in your stomach as the monitor turned off, leaving the room in an eerie silence. You met eyes with Kokichi, who’s facade had changed back to one of confidence. It didn’t surprise you, he never showed vulnerability in front of others. So far, you were the only exception to that.

Together you walked down to the gymnasium, meeting a few of the other students along the way. It was interesting to see how peculiar they were, from a small girl dressed as a witch to a guy with long hair and a mask covering the lower half of his face. But to them, you and Kokichi probably looked just as strange. That thought somehow brought you a sense of comfort; in here, everyone’s a little weird. You guessed it just went along with being an Ultimate.

The gym was just as much of a mess as everywhere else, complete with a few full grown trees sprouting out from the decaying floorboards. But by now, the ruggedness of it all didn’t even faze you anymore. It felt like you had been stuck in the school forever, the scenery just as normal as anything else.

Soon enough all seventeen students were gathered together, a hushed murmur breaking out between them. So many voices were speaking over each other that it was difficult to zone in on one conversation, the only thing you were able to make out being a few words in the jumbled mess. But just as it started it came to an end, the roaring of an engine cutting everyone off.

The longer the group stayed quiet the louder it got, shaking the room with intensity akin to that of an earthquake. As if they were hiding in the ceiling, five robots dropped down, surrounding the group in a confined circle. A scream escaped your throat as you jumped back, your hands subconsciously latching on to your necklace in fear.

In unison the robots spoke, their voices giving away who was inside of them, “Rise and shine, ursine!”

Everyone panicked, yelling and fearful muttering sounding throughout the air. Like the gentleman he is, Gonta rushed to stand in front of the group, holding his arms out by his sides, “Everyone, behind Gonta!”

Kokichi ignored him however, ducking under one of his arms to be mere inches away from the robots, “Woah, these are so cool!”

“They’re Exisals, highly mobile, bipedal weapons platforms!” the blue one explained.

Beside you, you saw Miu tense up, “Wh-Whatever they are, they better kill off the uggos and save me for last!”

“Run, Himiko!” Kokichi teased, his eyes meeting yours for a moment. He gave you a wink, causing you to let out a stifled laugh.

She didn’t seem to understand the insult, scratching her face with uncertainty, “Why are you concerned about me all of a sudden?”

“Alright, chill out everyone. We’re probably not in any danger. If they wanted to kill us, they’d have done it by now,” a voice reasoned, Rantaro stepping past both Gonta and Kokichi, gazing up at the Exisals with an intense glare, “So, what do you want from us? You clearly want something, that’s what the guns are for, right? Let me guess. You’re gonna force us to do something, and if we don’t, we get hurt. Well, you have our attention. So what do you want?”

The yellow Exisal shifted in its spot, “Huh. Well aren’t you a wiseguy? Okay, here’s what we want you to do.”

The whole room went quiet, no one even daring to breathe. Your heart sped up, practically thumping in your chest as your mind was filled up with anticipation.

“A killing game.”

And like that, your whole world came crashing down around you. A… killing game? No, that had to be a lie. You were around Kokichi so much, it was the first thought your mind went to. However, being able to catch lies was an ability you’ve perfected since being in a relationship with him, and this wasn’t setting off your radar.

Tenko was the first to speak, her usually boisterous voice reduced to a struggled whisper, “W-Wait a second. What did you say?”

This time, it was the green Exisal who answered, his voice the most robotic out of the five, “KILLING-GAME”

“Now, now, now… those are my favorite words to hear. Especially coming from my cute little cubs,” a new voice rang out, different from all the others you’ve heard. It sounded vaguely innocent, though the laugh that followed was anything but.

“Oh, that voice!” the pink Exisal exclaimed, endearment laced in her tone. As if on cue, the Monokubs sprung out of the robots, landing perfectly on the stage at the end of the gym, “Daddy!? Where are you, daddy?”

“Father!? Father, is that you!?”

“Papa Kuma! Papa Kuma!”

“Father…?” you mused aloud, eyebrows scrunching together in confusion, “What are you-”

Before you could finish, you were cut off by a sudden darkness. All the lights in the gym had shut off, earning the screams of several students. It was only for a second, but when the lights had been brought back you almost wished they hadn't. Because right before your eyes, you were met with who was going to soon be your worst enemy.

Springing up from the podium at the stage was a bear similar to the Monokubs, though larger. He was monochromatic, a large spilt going down the center of his body, dividing his features into two completely different designs. But what had to be the worst was the words he spoke, faultless enough on their own, but laced with a malicious undertone.

“I am the god of this new world… and the headmaster of the Ultimate Academy! The one, the only… Monokuma! Nice to meetcha!”

“Another teddy bear appeared,” Tsumugi said, trailing off shortly after. Her face looked pale, drained from fear.

Korekiyo narrowed his eyes in concentration, “Yes, but that is no ordinary teddy bear. I can see it, the despair and madness swirling around that cursed thing.”

In agitation, Monokuma bared his claws, “Whoa, first of all, I’m no teddy bear. I’m Monokuma. And show some respect! I’m the headmaster of the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles!”

“Well you may be, but what I’m worried about is this ‘killing game’ the cubs mentioned,” Rantaro chimed in, “What exactly does that mean?”

Monokuma let out another laugh, “I want you students with your Ultimate-level talents to participate in a killing game, of course! Just take a look around this academy, surrounded by a huge wall and protected by the Exisals. So, as long as we have those things, you can’t escape nor defy us. In other words, I hold the power of life and death over each and every one of you.”

“So, we do what you say if we don’t want to die?” Rantaro asked.

You felt your veins run cold, and before you knew it you were speaking up, “You have to be kidding me. Why in the world would we kill innocent people?” You thought back to everyone you met so far. Sure, you weren’t close or anything, but you’d never want to hurt them either, “Especially those who are our friends?”

Monokuma tilted his head, his stare burning into your mind, “Who said you guys were friends? You guys aren’t friends at all. You’re enemies out to kill each other. You see, here the killing game is punctuated by class trials.”

“Class… trials?” Kaede uttered under her breath.

“Let us explain!” the Monokubs exclaimed, Monotaro taking the lead, “Alright, so if one of you maggots kill someone, you all gotta take part in a class trial. That is where the blackened killer faces off against their spotless classmates. After you’ve decided, it’s voting time. And if the majority of you idiots vote correctly… then only the blackened killer will receive punishment. But, if you vote for the wrong person, everyone but the blackened gets punished.”

“One can likely imagine, but I shall ask just in case. What is the ‘punishment’?” Korekiyo asked, as if reading all our minds.

Monokuma’s body shook with laughter, “Well, to simply put it. Execution. If you do the crime, obviously you’ll be punished for it,” he scanned the room, taking in your shocked states, “Now let’s get this heart-pounding killing school semester started already! You have free rein to murder however you like, too. Whether you shoot, burn, drown, blow up, crush, electrocute, or laugh your victim to death, you can use any method you like to kill anybody you like, any way you like! At the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles, you will realize your murderous potential!”

“Killing school semester… it’s like a game,” Rantaro mused, his expression going dark. The mysterious vibe he gave off was enough to make you shiver. You couldn’t help but wonder if he would end up snapping.

Korekiyo let out a soft chuckle, deep and muffled by his mask, “Risking our lives for some silly game is absurd.”

“It doesn’t seem like it’ll be boring, though,” Kokichi’s voice rang out.

“How are you all so calm?” Kaede exclaimed, turning to Monokuma in defiance, “No matter what you say… we won’t do it! Whatever you have planned, I’m not gonna let you get away with it!”

The bear hardly batted an eye at her defiance, “That kinda spirit is important to the killing game, you know? It’s fun to watch the defiant ones eventually snap and get their hands dirty.  Everyone loves that kinda brutality in a death game, especially me! And plus, as the headmaster, it’s my job to force you to do it.”

And with that, he let out a laugh, louder and more prolonged than the rest. The Monokubs joined him, filling the room with their unbridled joy before vanishing from the stage, plunging the area back into silence.

Slowly, one by one, everyone dissipated. A few quiet words were exchanged here and there, talking about the rules and findings from searching the academy, but in the end it felt hopeless. Clenching your fist, you held back your emotions as you turned to leave, the low heels of your shoes distinctly clicking against the wooden floors. Pushing open the double doors, you kept on walking. You didn’t know where you were going, but you had to get out of there.

Somehow, you ended up in the basement library, curled up next to one of the many book shelves. You weren’t crying, you couldn’t remember the last time you showed weakness like that. Instead, anger welled up inside of you. The only thing that seemed to calm your emotions was the scent of old books wafting into the air, smelling of home. Letting out a sigh you leaned your head against the shelf, closing your eyes.

“You know, it isn’t very smart to go off alone during a killing game,” a voice scolded, their presence settling beside you. You felt them wrap their arm around your shoulders, pulling you closer to them, “I could’ve sworn you were more intelligent than that, (y/n). If I would’ve known you could be this stupid I wouldn’t have accepted your confession last year.”

You turned to face him, seeing the devious smile creep onto his lips. Returning it, you placed your head on his shoulder, “You can still break up with me, it’s not too late for that Kokichi.”

“I wish I could, but there’s just one little thing that’s stopping me.”

“And what would that be?”

His face contorted into one of mock disgust, “I ended up catching feelings for you, the biggest idiot on the planet,” he trailed off, resting his head on top of yours, “And now we’re stuck in this damn killing game together, teenagers murdering in cold blood for a way out… You know, we can’t let anyone know about us in here.”

“What do you mean?”

“Our relationship, the fact that we knew each other before this whole thing started. The situation we’re in is dangerous, and I’m probably going to be pissing a lot of people off. You know me, I manage to do that quite often. But, if I make someone angry and get on their hit list, if they don’t immediately come after me who do you think they’ll kill?”

“I’m not weak, you know. I can protect myself. Besides, this whole killing game doesn't even scare me,” you said, though you could hear the edge in your voice. On its own, seeing Kokichi worried was enough to make you nervous, but with the killing game on top of it all you were close to a mental breakdown.

He shook his head, a soft tsk-ing sound escaping from his lips, “(y/n), you really need to work on your lying skills.”

“I know,” you said, clenching your first once again to keep your emotions in check. The pain brought you back to your senses, fingernails digging into the soft flesh of your palm, “Fine, I’ll pretend like I just met you today. But you have to be careful, I don’t want you getting hurt either.”

“I’ll be fine, I’m the Ultimate Supreme Leader after all. Nothing can kill me.”

“If you say so,” you sighed.

He drew his arm away from you, getting up from his spot on the floor. Holding his hand out, he pulled you up beside him, “Come on, let’s get out of here. I wanna check out the inside of our dorms. See if the beds are nice, you know?”

He gave you a wink, to which you let out a giggle, “Alright, let’s go.”

And with that you left the library, walking through the empty halls of the school with your fingers intertwined. As soon as you neared the entrance hall, he let go, keeping a distance between the two of you as if you were strangers. It sent a pain through your heart, but you knew it was for the best. After all, the killing game had just begun. You couldn't trust anyone. 

 

_Seventeen/Seventeen_


	2. Trepidation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, so the first chapter is complete! I'm sorry it's not quite as long as the prologue, but I still hope you enjoy it nonetheless!!

For the remainder of your first day at the academy, you explored the rest of it alone. It was tranquil, being confined with your thoughts as the clicking of your heels echoed throughout the vacant corridors. Of course, even though you had the deal of acting like strangers, Kokichi had been against you wandering around unaccompanied. But just as he was a liar, you were stubborn. And with the help of a few underhanded tactics (mostly blackmail), you were able to leave on your own.

Every so often you’d run into one of the other students, sharing a quick conversation or searching with them for a brief amount of time. It would’ve been nice, spending time and bonding with your peers, if the stress of the killing game hadn’t been breathing down your neck. It made you paranoid, distrustful of the others even when they appeared harmless. You figured that’s what Monokuma wanted, hoping that doubt and suspicion would lead you into the first murder. Keeping that in mind, you pushed your paranoia to the back of your mind and worked with the others in hopes of finding a way out. 

Ultimately, it lead to nowhere. Every room you came across turned up a blank, only finding useless items and bits of trash. There were no secret passages, nothing that would even give you a clue to the outside world. It frustrated you being completely oblivious like that, as it forced you to come to terms with how truely fucked the situation was. 

With a sigh of exasperation, you flopped down in one of the dining hall chairs. Your feet throbbed with a dull pain from the hours you were on them, a wave of relief washing over you as soon as your weight left them. Sitting back, you propped your legs up on the chair adjacent to you and leaned your head back, staring the the ceiling blankly. Your vision blurred slightly as your mind drifted off into a state of reverie, thinking of nothing and everything at the same time. 

The sound of the dining hall door opening made you jump, lifting yourself back up into a normal sitting position to see who had just walked in. Your eyes were met with a black hat fitted over neat dark hair, the owners eyes hidden slightly behind the rim. Giving a small wave, you greeted him, “Oh, hey Shuichi.”

“Hey, what are you doing here alone?” he asked, moving to take the seat next to you, “I hope you don’t mind me asking.”

“No, it’s alright. I was just resting for a bit, both my feet and my mind. I just… it’s hard trying to take this all in, you know? Everything just seems so unreal, I’m pretty sure a part of me is still convinced this was all a prank,” you explained, letting out chuckle to hide the worry that had built up in your chest. 

He seemed to see right through you, his expression shifting to one of sympathy as he listened, but when he spoke he knew not to pry, “I wish it was, but at this point I think it would be far too elaborate to be a joke.”

“I don’t know about that, I’ve seen some pretty intense pranks back home. One time when I wasn’t at my house a close friend of mine snuck into my room and covered it with pictures of his face,” you said, a genuine smile tugging at your lips, “And I mean  _ covered _ . There wasn’t an inch of my room that didn’t have a picture on it.”

He laughed softly, raising an eyebrow, “Really? I think the worst I’ve ever gotten was sugar in the salt shaker.”

“Oh no, my friends are insane; when they do pranks they go all out. Once I ended up with blue hair for weeks, and that was just on a normal day. You can’t even begin to imagine what happens once April Fools rolls around.”

His eyes widened, “Blue hair!? How do you even survive it?”

“By pranking them right back.”

He was taken aback by the statement, but gave you a shy grin, “You know, I never thought you would be the type to do pranks and all that. I always saw you as more serious and mysterious. I guess that was just me assuming because of your talent.”

“Well there are times where I can be serious, like when I’m using my talent. So you’re not wrong about that,” you disclosed, taking your necklace in your hand as you toyed with the chain, “It requires a lot of focus and concentration. But when I’m around my friends its fun to just let loose and act like a normal teenager.”

“That sounds really nice, I know most Ultimates don’t really get the chance to do that,” he said, his eyes flashing down to the charm, “May I?”

Nodding, you unclasped the chain around your neck and set it in his hand, the silver metal shining in the light of the dining hall. He ran his fingers over the details carved into the outside of the clock, casting it open to see the timepiece. The numbers around it were written in an elegant script, the thin hands slowing ticking down. Leaning over his shoulder, you began to explain, “It’s an antique, found it at this little shop in my old town. My mom bought it for me when I did my first show and I’ve used it ever since.”

“How old were you when you did that show?” he asked, handing the necklace back to you gingerly.

Clasping it back around your neck, you let that pendant fall to the middle of your chest, “Twelve, I think. Yeah, I had just turned twelve that year. I remember the show wasn’t that big, but after that I blew up. People were amazed that there was a twelve year old hypnotist.”

“Wow, that’s amazing. I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be so talented that young. But in all honesty, I don’t even think I should be an Ultimate in the first place.” His face dropped slightly, though you could tell he was trying to hide it.

You leaned forward in your chair, raising an eyebrow, “Why would you say that? I mean, if you have the title then you’re obviously talented. They wouldn’t call me the Ultimate Hypnotist if I sucked, you know.”

“Yeah, but I only got scouted because I solved a one murder case before the police. It was completely by chance, it had nothing to do with _ me _ .”

“Nuh-uh, Shuichi I’m sorry but you are not allowed to be insecure around me. If you solved the case, that means you have talent. It doesn’t matter what the circumstances were, because in the end you used your head and your skills to figure it out. You have a talent, and I’m actually really impressed by it.”

His cheeks flushed with embarrassment, “You really think so?”

“I know so,” you said, pushing your chair back and standing, “I’m gonna head back to my dorm for now, but the next time I see you, you better be thinking highly of yourself. Or else I’m gonna have to force you to.”

You held up your necklace for emphasis, causing him to let out a chuckle, “That would actually be great. But I’ll see you later (y/n). Thanks.”

“No problem.”

With that, you headed out of the dining hall with a spring in your step. Your feet still ached with a dull pain from walking, but the time you spent resting and talking with Shuichi seemed to help alleviate it. A smile formed on your lips thinking back to the exchange. He was nice, the first person besides Kokichi who made an actual effort to talk to you. Maybe he would end up being a good friend.

But deep down, you knew you shouldn’t trust anyone. This game was about deception, betrayal, desperation. How would you be able to know if someone was really being kind, or just taking advantage of your naivety? Still, you couldn’t just isolate yourself from the others. If you wanted a way out, you’d have to work with them, overcome your fear of being stabbed in the back. 

Your mind was practically split in two. One half waned to detach yourself from this world and everyone in it, while the other was adamant on cooperating. Never in your life did you feel so conflicted, but never in your life have you also been this  _ scared _ . Even if you were skilled at concealing your true emotions, it wasn’t so easy to keep them from infiltrating your mind. And any second now, you were close to letting them out.

Before you could even realize it you were standing outside of your dorm, the key to the lock tightly gripped in your fingers. Looking down, you noticed the way your hands trembled. When was the last time you felt this way? When you were twelve, about to walk onto the stage at your first show? When you got transferred to a new school across the country when you were fourteen? No, even those times weren’t as bad. This was true fear. Not anxiety or nerves, but pure, unbridled fear. Biting your lip, you gripped your wrist to steady your dominant hand before placing the key in the lock, turning it to open the door.

Once inside, you slammed it shut behind you, sinking down to the floor with your back against the hard wooden surface. A choked sob made its way out of your mouth, tears trailing down your cheeks onto your shirt. You pulled your knees up to your chest and hugged them for comfort. It had been years since you last cried with such intensity; maybe that time when you broke your leg as a kid, or when your grandfather passed. It felt unnatural, foreign to your senses. 

You stayed like that for what felt like a lifetime, the saltiness from the tears greeting your lips unpleasantly. Your head rested in your arms, the sleeves of your shirt growing damp as they stifled the noises that erupted from your throat. This was your most vulnerable state, weak and helpless as all the emotions you’ve been experiencing from the last few hours revealed themselves. You hated it. 

Finally, you felt your breathing slow down. Your cheeks had long dried, leaving a tight feeling where they were once wet. It was surprisingly relieving, a wave of mitigation going through your body as you let out a soft sigh. With a weak sniffle you pulled yourself to your feet, knees trembling for a moment before regaining their strength. You made your way to the bathroom, turning on the tap and bracing your arms on the sink. 

A mirror hung above the washbasin, reflecting the grim features of your face back at you. Your eyes were bloodshot and puffy, your nose a light shade of red from irritation. It was new. The person in the mirror was foreign, yourself unrecognizable underneath their vulnerability. Turning your attention away from the mirror, you grabbed a washcloth from the holder on the wall and dampened it underneath the faucet. It cooled your skin as you pressed it underneath your eyes, the redness swiftly fading under its touch.

Soon enough you were back to normal with no evidence of what had just occurred. On your face was the same expression as always, your features neutral and devoid of emotion. Your hair was neatly brushed out, and you had replaced your tear-stained shirt for one of the many copies that hung up in the closet. Their presence alone was strange, but you were too relieved to question it. 

“Alright… now what should I go do?” you asked yourself, voice barely a whisper. You needed a distraction, something to keep your mind away from the mental breakdown you had just experienced. The options raced around in your head as you evaluated each one. Going to explore the school any more was off the table, it would just intensify the feeling of helplessness that stabbed at your heart. Visiting someone sounded more appealing, but your distrust for the others made you wary. However, there was one person you were sure you could trust in a time like this. 

Kokichi.

Making sure your key was safely in the pocket of your skirt, you stepped out into the foyer. No one else was there, presumably searching the school, giving you the perfect opportunity to check his dorm. With a slight smile you bounded up the stairs, making your way to the last door out of the set that lined the wall, knocking on it gingerly. After a few seconds it swung open, his enthusiastic face greeting you, “(y/n), long time no see!”

“It’s been like two hours, Kokichi,” you replied, inviting yourself inside his room. A part of you wondered if he could sense your distress, if he was able to tell what you had just went through. Pushing those thoughts to the back of your mind, you continued lightheartedly, “So, what have you been up to?”

“Oh nothing much, I explored for a little bit but it got boring so I came back here. I set this up though,” he said, pointing to a large whiteboard set up in the corner of his room. On it were portraits of each of the students, him excluded, as well as the Monokubs. The five of them were grouped together, the caption “annoying” written underneath. The students however, only had a line of question marks. Your image was the only one isolated, off to the side with the word “trustworthy” written under it with thick black marker.

“What is it?” you asked, walking up to examine it. It was quite cute in all honestly, a small heart drawn next to your picture.

He followed, resting his chin on your shoulder as he stood behind you, “Well, it’s going to be used to keep track of this whole game. Like who I can trust, who’s suspicious, who dies, and who kills. Obviously I don’t have much right now, but when I get to know the others more it’ll be a lot more helpful.”

You nodded in agreement, your eyes scanning over the faces of your peers. They stopped at on in particular, causing you to speak up, “Shuichi is pretty nice, I talked to him today in the dining hall. He’s a little shy, but good at listening; he literally let me ramble on about our old friends for the longest time. I really want to trust him… but I’m not so sure yet I can trust anybody yet.”

“Oh I see how it is, you’d rather spend time with Shuichi than with me. Are you going to break up with me now and date him instead?” he pouted, though you could hear the joke in his tone.

You rolled your eyes, but returned the jab, “Maybe I will. I mean, you were the one who said we should treat each other as strangers, right?”

A moment of silence passed between the two of you before he turned you around to face him, his hands wrapping snugly around your waist. His forehead was against yours, his face so close you could feel his breath gently hit your lips with every exhale. A smirk took over his features when he heard your squeak of surprise, his eyes flaring up with mischief, “Not behind closed doors. When we’re alone, you’re mine and I’m yours. Got it?”

You nodded once again, and in an instant your lips were met with his. They were soft, if not slightly chapped, and familiar against your own. Placing your arms around his shoulders, you kissed back intently, feeling as if it had been forever since the last time you felt his lips caress yours. 

Without breaking away he lead you backwards, the hind of your knees hitting the edge of the bed. He grinned into the kiss, pulling back and lightly pushing you onto the soft surface. Tugging off his scarf, he climbed over you, straddling your hips as he pinned your wrists above you. He leaned closer, his lips making their way down your jaw to your neck. His free hand trailed up your shirt, sending a shudder down your spine as his cool fingers made contact with your skin. 

Just as he had begun to take off your blouse, a knock sounded from the door. He shot up, his eyes filled with panic as he climbed off you. He snatched up his scarf from the ground, haphazardly wrapping it around his neck as he called out, “I’ll be there in a sec!”

Getting to your feet, you hid behind the other side of the bed, listening to the exchange as you tried to neatly tuck your shirt back into your skirt. You heard the sound of the door opening, Kokichi’s voice ringing out soon after, “Oh hey Shuichi, did you come to pay me a visit?”

“No, not right now. We’re actually all meeting in the dining hall to discuss what we found while searching, and they wanted me to come get you,” he explained.

“Okie-dokie, I’ll be there in a bit. I have to use the bathroom real quick, so don’t wait for me.”

You heard the hinges of the door squeak as he began to close it, but before it could shut he was stopped, “Hey, before I leave, do you know where (y/n) is? She said she’d be in her room earlier but when I knocked she didn’t answer.”

Even though you couldn’t see, you could tell a look of panic flashed across his features. He replied, and even though his voice was steady you could hear the hint of distress in his tone, “Yeah, I’ll go get her on my way over there, alright?”

“Okay, thanks. Well, I’ll see you there.”

“Yeah, see ya…”

With a final click, you heard the door close completely. Kokichi let out a heavy sigh, “Okay, you can come out now.”

You stood and made your way over to him, a giggle escaping your lips as you did so, “Oh my god, that was so funny. I’m sorry but I wish I could've seen your face when he asked about me. I could hear how nervous you were, it was cute.”

“Shut up, let’s just go before they start thinking I killed you,” He said, grabbing your hand and pulling you after him out of the dorm, “Or maybe I should actually kill you, it’ll be a lot easier to hide our relationship that way.”

“Do it right now, I dare you.”

He shifted his gaze over to you, his eyes meeting yours with a softened expression, “Nah, maybe some other time.”

By the time you got to the dining hall everyone else was already there chatting amongst themselves. You couldn’t hear exactly what they were talking about, but it the tone of their voices had you guessing it was something serious. So immersed in their conversations, they almost didn’t notice you come in. That is, until Kokichi  _ made _ the two of you noticed.

“The person you’ve all been waiting for is here!” he exclaimed, casting a disgusted look towards you, “Oh yeah, and (y/n)’s here too.”

With a shake of your head you took a seat at the large table in the center of the room, the same one from before. Shuichi was in the chair next to you, giving a small grin as you sat down. Returning it, you couldn’t help but think he saved the seat for you. It was silly, but the thought made you smile nonetheless. Maybe you two could be good friends, after all. 

Once everyone was situated, Kaede began to address the whole group, “Okay, now that everyone is here, we should get started on discussing a way out. We had time to search around the school, so we should all have some important information. Even if it doesn’t lead to a way out, I’m sure it could help us!”

“Well, I checked all around the giant wall with Kirumi and Angie, but we couldn’t find any door or opening,” Tsumugi said, casting her gaze over to Kaede expectantly, “The only question I have though, is if there’s no opening how did we all get in?” 

She went silent for a moment in thought, placing a hand on her chin before speaking, “There’s probably a secret passageway somewhere! They wouldn’t have made the exit so obvious considering the reason we’re locked up here in the first place. We just have to work together and find it.”

“Ah, wait a minute!” Gonta exclaimed, his eyes lighting up, “Gonta find manhole earlier. In grass, behind school building. Gonta peek in, see big, underground passage. Think maybe an exit… Sorry. It’s probably not so simple.”

From around you, you saw the faces of most of the students light up. Even though it may not be much, just the thought of freedom was enough to motivate them. An excited chatter broke out between you, everyone provoked at the prospect. 

“At any rate, let’s go confirm that immediately. Behind the school building means the rear garden where the boiler is, correct?” Kirumi asked, Gonta nodding in response, “Then please lead the way.”

“Okay, everyone follow Gonta!”

With that, everyone left the dining hall hastily with Gonta in the lead. It was almost chaotic, with half the students sprinting towards the courtyard, letting out yells of triumph and excitement. The other half stayed at a normal pace, hesitation clear on their faces as they tried to keep their expectations low. You were grouped with them, hanging back a bit to fall in step beside Kokichi. 

“Do you really think we’ll get out of here?” you asked, voice low with concern. As much as you wanted to believe that it was the way out, you couldn’t help but doubt it’s authenticity. Would the mastermind really make it so easy?

He shook his head grimly, “Not through that manhole. Unless they thought we were like, really stupid or something. I mean, they wouldn’t be wrong about you.”

You lightly shoved him, but you were glad for the humor he always seemed to bring to every situation, “Wow, so mean to me. I’m hurt.”

“Don’t be, I’m mean to everybody I just met,” he said, a devious smirk gracing his features, “Don’t take it personally.”

With a teasing sigh, you ignored the comment and left to catch up with the others gathered in the boiler room. They all stood around and object in the thick grass that coated the floor, large and circular-shaped. It was painted a deep bronze, though it appeared weathered in certain areas from age. Just from the looks of it you were able to guess it was the manhole, but one thing was bugging you.

“This looks really heavy, would we even be able to lift it?” you asked, reaching down and grasping at the corners. With all your might you tugged upwards, but the manhole barely even budged. You let out a groan, embarrassment flushing your cheeks, “Man, I’m a lot weaker than I thought.”

“Just leave it to Gonta. Gonta lifted cover earlier to peek inside. Should be able to pick up cover now,” Gonta said, taking your spot and hooking his hand on the cover. With little effort, he pulled it off, holding it between his thumb and forefinger. “Upsy-daisy.”

“How did he lift it so lightly!?” Tsumugi asked, her shocked expression matching all of ours. With you, the manhole didn’t even move; how could he have the strength to lift it?

Curiously, you leaned over the hole left in the ground, gazing inside. The light from the boiler room illuminated the darkness, though it was still difficult to see anything other than the ladder leading down. A damp, musty smell wafted out from the passage underneath, unpleasantly greeting your nose. Reluctance filled your mind, unsure about venturing down into the black void that stared back at you. 

“It’s a little creepy, should we really go down?” you asked, taking a step back from the entrance. It gave you a bad feeling, a really bad feeling.

Kaito made his way over to the hole, peering into the darkness, “It’s probably fine, we won’t die or anything. I’m more worried about Monokuma and the Monokubs, why aren’t they here to stop us?”

“They probably haven’t noticed yet,” Angie replied, giving a lighthearted laugh as she did so. 

“In that case, we have to hurry before they try to stop us,” Kokichi said, pushing past the others and climbing down the ladder before anyone could stop him. The rest followed suit quickly, wasting no time as they made their way to the passage. You ended up being the last one standing in the boiler, biting your lip before reluctantly climbing down to join them.

As you reached the bottom, you noticed the room that lied below. It was surprisingly spacious, large enough to fit twice the amount of people comfortably. A dim light flooded through the area, just enough for you to take in the surroundings. All around you were metal pipes, along with a few barrels and wires running down the walls and floor. The thing that caught your attention the most, however, was a wooden sign pointing down a passageway. Written in clear bold letters was the word “exit”.

You didn’t seem to be the only one who noticed, Tenko speaking up almost immediately, “Everyone, look at this. Isn’t this kind of suspicious? Why would they go out of their way to show us the exit?”

“Let’s just take a look for now. Standing here won’t change the situation we’re in.” Rantaro said, taking a step closer to the passage.

From behind you, Shuichi seemed to stiffen, “That’s true, but…”

“We don’t need to worry! Well yeah, it might be a little dangerous, but we have so many ‘Ultimates’ here with us. So if we all work together, we’ll definitely get through this some way or another!” Kaede exclaimed, seeming to lift everyone’s spirits. Honestly, you couldn't figure out how she always managed to be so positive.

A chorus of agreements rung out from your peers, and together they began to head into the tunnel. Though you felt less apprehensive than before, as you moved along with them you could feel your hands begin to shake. You clenched your fists in hopes that the pain of your nails would help stop it, and tried to hold your head high as you ventured into the darkness. 

Inside, you were met with nothing. At first it was just a dark hall, dank and dusty as if it hadn’t been used in years. As you advanced forward it grew more complicated, the first obstacle being a large iron door that covered both the width and height of the tunnel. Working together, you all pushed it open and continued to the other side, only to be met with an array of traps. You managed to escape the first two, jumping over the first hole in the ground while walking flatly over the other, but as soon as you made it to the dip in the floor you were struck head-on. 

You didn’t even feel the pain, the only thing greeting you being unconsciousness. 

When you awoke, the only thing you could hear was the echoing of various different voices bouncing off the walls. Beneath you was a hard surface, cool against the exposed skin of your arms and legs. Once you fully regained consciousness, your eyes fluttered open to see Kokichi hovering over you, his hand lightly tapping your cheek in an effort to wake you up. 

As soon as your gaze met his, a smile tugged at his lips, “Jeez, you must be really stupid (y/n),” he teased, his voice lowering into a whisper, “How am I supposed to pretend not to care about you when you go and get yourself knocked out like this?”

“What happened?” you asked, pulling yourself up into a sitting position. A dull throbbing bloomed from your forehead, causing you to wince as you let out a hiss of pain. 

“You got hit in the head with one of these metal balls that were flying around, the same thing happened to Kaede,” he explained, pointing over to the corner of the room. She was still asleep, her head laying in Shuichi’s lap. As you watched, Kokichi continued, “I kept going for a while, but I got hit with one as well. It wasn’t as bad, just in the arm, but I decided to go back because everyone else was getting hurt too.”

“Real noble of you,” you joked, leaning back on your arms. Everyone around you was hurt in some way, be it just some minor bruises to large cuts they bandaged with torn fabric. It was then that you felt thankful you were knocked out before you could get any further in the tunnel.

A gasp of surprise sounded from behind you, snapping you out of your daze. Turning around, you saw that Kaede had regained consciousness, sitting up and rubbing her eyes with a pained expression. She exchanged a few words with Shuichi, her brow furrowing in distaste at his responses. Her gaze left him, looking around at the state of the rest of the group. Most of you were sitting or kneeling on the ground, sorrow heavy in the air. 

“Geez, this is quite the pity party you sadsacks are throwing for yourselves!” A familiar voice rang out, echoing off the walls.

Shifting your attention to the source, you were met with Monokuma. He stood in the center of the room, surveying everyone with an air of triumph. A silence fell over the group, only being broken by Kaito, who let out a heavy sigh, “So you finally crawled out of your little hole. I guess you noticed what we were up to.”

“Noticed? What do you mean? I already knew you bastards would botch whatever escape plan you had,” he replied flatly. 

“If you knew from the start, then it’s just as I thought. This was a trap, wasn’t it?” Maki asked, her tone deadly as she glared at Monokuma. Just hearing her was enough to send shivers down your spine, “There was no exit, you deceived us.”

“No, there  _ is _ an exit. If you all cooperated and tried and your best, maybe you could reach it. Yeah, try and try again. Try as many times as you want until you accept reality,” He urged, his voice just as dangerous as Maki’s. A laugh erupted from his throat, it’s nature loud and taunting.

With that he left, plunging the group once again into a despair-inducing silence as everyone processed the new information. So, this was the exit, this led to the outside world. All you had to do was… make it through. 

“So, we can escape if we try hard enough?” Himiko said, uncertainty laced in her words. 

“No, I don’t think so. They’re making us challenge this underground passage on purpose, to let us know that escape is impossible. Instead of completely shutting off the exit, by intentionally creating a small glimmer of hope they’re scheming to flame our feelings of ‘wanting to go home’ and mentally driving us into a corner,” Rantaro explained. 

Kaede shook her head and stood, still a little unsteady from being knocked out, “Yeah but that doesn’t mean we should give up. We still only failed once, you wouldn’t give up just from this, will you? Just one more time… no, let’s challenge it as many times as we can! Come on, let’s combine our strengths and do our best so we can all leave together! And after we leave this place, let’s become friends.”

Everyone was stunned, how in the world was she still so determined? Gonta’s eyes widened, “Friends?”

“Yup, we all went through a lot, so I think we can become great friends. You know, it isn’t every day you get the chance to be friends with another Ultimate. So, what do you think?” she asked.

“That doesn’t sound too bad,” Ryoma admitted.

“Yeah, I think that sounds great!”

“It’s tiresome, but I’ll give it a try.”

With a newfound determination, everyone charged towards the tunnel, ready to take whatever it threw you head-on. Little did you know at the time, that determination would deplete quickly.

Every time you seemed to be getting close to the end, your spirits would be crushed by the obstacles planted around the tunnel. You suffered countless injuries as you tried time and time again, your motivation raining every time. It was beginning to look hopeless, and no amount of pep talks from Kaede could lighten your spirits. You couldn’t tell how many times you had gone through the tunnel, the only thing you knew was that you hurt all over. 

Bruises spotted your body as you laid on the floor of the large room, too tired to make the effort to get up. You just stared up at the ceiling, wondering if you would ever escape. A groan escaped your lips, “This is… impossible.”

You turned your head, watching the panicked look that crossed Kaede’s features, “Wait, don’t give up. This time for sure-”

“Knock it off already,” Kokichi snapped, his words harsh with irritation, “You’re free to keep trying on your own, but forcing us to join you is basically torture.”

Her face went white, “Torture?”

“You know what really hurts? Being denied that right to give up in an impossible situation. You won’t let us give up and no matter what we say, you have the moral high ground. That… doesn’t sound like torture to you? When you say we can’t give up, you’re not inspiring us, you’re strong-arming us!”

Tenko looked furious, glaring at him with intensity, “Hey, degenerate! Quit being so selfish!”  
“I’m not being selfish, the others feel the same way,” Kokichi said. He was right, the others around you looked tired, hopeless. Injuries scattered their bodies and their eyes were downcast, not meeting Kaede’s. They didn’t want to do this anymore, and neither did you. 

Before anyone could retaliate the large monitor in the corner of the room flared to life, the Monokubs greeting you. This time, Monosuke was the one to speak, “This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles. It’s now ten p.m., so nighttime officially starts now. The dining hall and gym are locked, so don’t go wandering around where you ain’t supposed to!”

Just as it had turned on, it suddenly shut off, leaving everyone quiet. Rantaro shook his head, “Nighttime, it seems. Well, it might be a bit dangerous to force ourselves in this condition so for now it might be better to go back to square one.”

“There was a dormitory with enough bedrooms for all of us. How about we rest there?” Kirumi said.

“Yeah, that’s fine. Let’s just go already,” Maki insisted, various voices ringing out in agreement. Without waiting for a response from those opposed, she stood from her spot on the floor and climbed up the ladder, the others following shortly after. 

In the back of your mind you felt bad for Kaede, but you were in too much pain to go through the tunnel again. Biting your lip, you stifled the squeal of pain that came from your mouth as you got to your feet, the world spinning as you tried to steady yourself. Slowly, you made your way over to the exit, hands gripping each rung tightly as you climbed up. Your knuckles turned white under the pressure, but the only thing you could care about was your fear of falling. 

As soon as you made it out, the cool, fresh air from the courtyard wafted into your lungs. You had been down there for so long, you had grown used to the feeling of breathing in the stagnant oxygen that settled in the tunnel. It seemed to help you regain some of your strength, being able to walk steadily back to the dorms, albeit a bit slower than usual. 

The sun had long set over the courtyard, leaving the scenery painted in a deep navy blue. It gave the whole area a different atmosphere, a sense of serenity replaced the usual chaotic energy that permeated from it. Looking up sent your mind into another dizzy spell, but once it passed you were able to see the sky clearly. Even though the metal cage loomed over the school, you could still see the stars through the gaps. They were brighter than you’ve even seen before, thickly coating the night sky in a heavy blanket. 

With a small smile, you continued towards your dorm in lighter spirits. Sure, you may be stuck in this academy for the time being, but at least you could still see the stars.

 

* * *

 

_ The room was quiet as you stood at the front, everyone's attention on your anxious form. Hands trembling slightly, you introduced yourself under your teachers instruction, trying to keep your voice steady as you did so. Seeming to sense the nerves that filled your mind, she placed a warm hand on your shoulder and referred you to your new seat. It was in the corner of the classroom, beside an open window that blew in cool air to soothe the early-fall heat.  _ _   
_

_ Gratefully taking a seat, you set your belongings down underneath the desk, leaving only a notebook and pencil. You were about to start taking notes as the teacher instructed, when a tap on your shoulder stopped you. With a start you turned, being met with the mischievous face of a boy. His dark violet hair was long and messy, framing his face in a disarray. With a smirk, he pointed down to the baggy cream sweater you wore over your uniform, “Did the retirement home close down?” _ _   
_

_ It took you back for a moment, clear shock flashing across your features. So, he just wanted to tease you? A grin found its way to your face, tugging at your lips as you retorted, “No, I got kicked out. Apparently groping the nurses is ‘inappropriate’ and ‘disrespectful’.” _ _   
_

_ He seemed surprised by your answer, most likely expecting to get a rise out of you, but you weren’t about to give him what you wanted. Before he could speak again, you motioned towards the purple soda that rested on the surface of his desk, and then to his hair, “Awe that’s cute, did you two decide to match today?” _ _   
_

_ “Yeah, actually. You see, this is my girlfriend.” He picked up the bottle, pressing it against his cheek, “We’re so in love, we always match.” _ _   
_

_ You let out a giggle, stifling it with your hand as to not be scolded by the teacher. He did the same, his laugh high-pitched, almost childish in a way. You couldn’t help finding it endearing. After you both calmed he shifted his gaze to your face, his eyes locking with yours. They showed something new, an emotion you couldn’t quite pinpoint. Whatever it was, it hardly matched the devilish smirk that graced his features.  _

_ “I like you,” he said suddenly, holding out his hand in your direction, “I’m Kokichi Ouma, and I feel like we’re going to be good friends.” _

_ “(y/n) (l/n),” you said, following his actions and shaking his hand, “I really hope we will be.” _

  
  


Seventeen/Seventeen


	3. Hematic

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone, so this is another long chapter and I'm actually really proud of it! I hope you all enjoy!

The sound of the music resonated in your mind, it’s chaotic energy seeping it’s way into your thoughts. No matter what you did, where you went, it wouldn’t stop. If anything it only got louder, more insistent that the first murder would take place. The images flashed rapidly on the monitor, burning into your mind. Drowning, hanging, bludgeoning. Before this started you had asked yourself how anyone would be driven to do something so cruel, but as the deranged melody found its way to your ears you were able to understand. It was all because of the First Blood Perk.

The morning after you arrived at the academy Monokuma had made an announcement while you were all gathered in the dining hall. A “motive”, he called it. In hopes of sparking the start of the game, he would allow the first killer to go free without a class trial. It was morbid, you thought, and most of your classmates agreed with you. That is, until he revealed to you the catch.

There was a time limit, two days, and if no one died, everyone would get killed instead. It shook you up at first, scared of the threat of death that so prominently loomed over your head as the days went by, but what scared you even worse was the fear of your classmates. Any one of them could snap under the pressure, murdering one of your peers and earning their escape from it. You’d have to come face-to-face with the pale, cold body of your classmate. Or maybe you wouldn’t. Maybe that victim would be you.

Maybe it would be Kokichi.

The thought was enough to send your heart into overdrive. It was as if your mind wanted to torture you, imagining the worst scenarios possible. Him curled up and bloody, his chest motionless as his breathing had long ceased, his face deprived of any emotion. The one who killed him granted freedom as a reward. You tried to keep your mind off the possibilities, reasoning with the irrational side of your head, but none of it worked.

And now, as the taunting music of the killing game blared throughout every room and space in and around the school, you found those thoughts invading your mind even more. If this was enough to drive you to the edge, what was it like for the others? The more fragile-minded? How much longer would it be before someone finally snapped?

Your nails had dug deep into your skin now, drawing blood once your hands unclasped. It was the only thing keeping you grounded, allowing you to focus on the stinging sensation instead of the insanity around you. In a fit of unease you had retreated to the corner of your dorm, knees pressed close to your chest as you buried your head in your arms. But even in your state, it wouldn’t stop.

You couldn't be alone. The fear was eating you up from the inside, the worry that he would get hurt nagging at the back of your mind. Carefully, you pulled yourself up from your position, clenching your eyes tight as you did so. The wounds from a few days prior were still healing, an aching sensation emitting from them whenever you moved too suddenly. With a deep breath, you began towards the exit of your room, your pace quickening as you got used to the motion.

The foyer was completely vacant, an eerie feeling creeping up the back of your neck as you looked around. Biting your lip, you nervously ran up the stairs before it could get any worse, constantly checking over your shoulder as you sprinted to his dorm.

As soon as you knocked on the door he answered, a shocked expression taking over his face before softening into one more devious, “(y/n), you didn’t come here to kill me, did you?”

Ignoring his taunt, you pushed past him, sitting down at the edge of his bed. You rested your elbows on your knees, head lowered as you intertwined your fingers together. He sensed the mood right away, shutting and locking the door before taking a seat beside you, placing a hand on your shoulder, “What’s wrong? You aren’t responding to my jokes.”

You lifted your head up, meeting his eyes hesitantly as tears welled up yours, “I’m scared, okay? This music has been driving me insane and I can’t stop thinking about everything. This is reality, people can die, and I’m terrified that you might become one of them.” You were beginning to panic, your breathing growing more erratic, “I don’t want you to die, Kokichi. I really don’t, but I’m so scared…”

“Shh, it’s alright. I’m going to be okay, didn’t I tell you? I’m the Ultimate Supreme Leader, nothing can kill me,” he said, cupping your face with his hands and swiping his thumbs over your cheeks. Pressing a kiss to your forehead, he pulled you into an embrace, “Everything is going to be okay, I promise. I won’t let anything hurt either of us.”

You nodded, burying your face in his shoulder. His scent was familiar to you, fabric softener mixed in with faint traces of his cologne. It helped calm you, the feeling of him being so close enough to drown out the music. One of his hands stroked your back, the other running through your hair soothingly. Not once since you’ve been in a relationship did you show him the weak side of you, and he noticed, letting out a small chuckle, “This is new. You know, maybe I should make you cry more often. It’s kinda cute.”

Lightly hitting the side of his arm, you pulled away, clumsily wiping your eyes with the back of your hand, “Shut up. It’s not cute, I’m in the midst of a mental breakdown.”

“But you’re so cuddly!” he exclaimed, tugging you back into another hug. His voice lowered as he whispered into your ear, “Though, I am happy you seem to be feeling better. You may be more clingy, but I hate seeing you upset.”

Now it was your turn to tease him, your voice raspy from the tears, “Oh, Kokichi Ouma actually has feelings? That’s a surprise.”

“Yeah it is,” he sighed, going quiet as he held you close. The music was still resounding around the room, but it was better now that you weren’t alone. You hugged him tighter, letting out a yawn and nuzzling into his shoulder. He yawned as well, pushing away slightly, “Do you want to go lie down? It’s kinda late, we can try to sleep through all this.”

“You know, it scares me when you’re being so nice… but that sounds great,” you said, lifting your head from it’s comfortable place on his shoulder.

He nodded, letting go of you completely so he could pull back the covers of his bed, climbing in and motioning for you to follow. Obliging, you kicked off your shoes and curled up beside him, feeling his arms around your waist once again as he draped the blanket over you both. As your head rested on his chest you could feel the heat radiating off him. Your whole body relaxed, how long has it been since you were last able to cuddle like this?

He shifted slightly, and before you could question it one of his hands was cupped over your exposed ear, muffling the noise around you. With a quizzical expression you looked up to him, brow raised in confusion, “What exactly are you doing?”

He removed them for a moment, rolling his eyes, “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m covering your ears so you can sleep without having to hear this stupid music. God, I didn’t know you could be so inconsiderate…”

“You are _so_ cute,” you said, holding his hand in yours, pressing a kiss to the back of it. His face flared up a light pink, not accustomed to the sudden affection, only causing you to tease him more, “Awe, you’re blushing! Is the all-powerful Ultimate Dictator flustered?” You leaned up, your lips softly kissing his cheek, “Are you flustered ‘cause your girlfriend kissed you?”

“Be quiet, or _you’re_ the one who’s going to be flustered. And trust me, I know how to make that happen very easily,” he playfully threatened, pulling his arm out of your grasp, “But I’m way too tired for that right now. So just go to bed, you little shit.”

With a dejected sigh you set your head back down, gripping his shirt loosely as you got comfortable. His hand returned to its previous position, blocking out the music that taunted your ears. Slowly, as you focused on the sound of his heartbeat, you felt your eyelids begin to grow heavy. The world slowly faded away with every breath you took, sleep taking over your mind as your eyes finally fluttered closed.

 

_The sun shone down on your skin, warmth blooming over your exposed shoulders. A cool breeze blew throughout the courtyard, rattling the greenery that spotted the grassy area. It gently flowed through your hair, a few stray strands tickling your cheeks and nose. You sat with your back against a large oak tree, a book nestled in your hands as you ate your lunch, careful not to spill any crumbs on the pristine pages._

_A shadow casted over your book, blocking out the sunlight. Looking up, you found Kokichi standing over you, his usual grin plastered over his face. He leaned down, plucking an apple slice from your lunch box before sprawling out next to you in the grass, “Whatcha doing?”_

_“Filming a porno, obviously,” you joked, taking a bite from the granola bar you had been working on, “What does it look like I’m doing?”_

_“Wow, you don’t have to be so sarcastic (y/n). That really hurts my feelings, you know. I can’t believe you would be so mean to your best friend,” he complained, giving you a fake sniffle as crocodile tears filled his eyes._

_Shaking your head, you carefully placed a bookmark on your page and set the book back in your bag, “Alright, fine. So, what do you want?”_

_“It’s so boring out here, I thought it would be entertaining to hang out with you,” he explained, his tears dissipating as he stole another apple slice, “And I’m glad I did, these are really good. You should bring extra tomorrow.”_

_You let out a sigh, looking to him with a quizzical expression, “Are you planning on stealing my lunch then, too?”_

_“Well it’s not stealing if you pack them for me, silly,” he said, his face lighting up for a moment, “Awe, you could make me an entire lunch. You can cut the sandwich into a heart, and the fruit as well. It’ll be so cute, like we were dating or something.”_

_“What? No, pack your own food,” you scolded, though you could feel your cheeks heat up. Why would he say something like that so casually?_

_He let out a laugh at your bewildered state, poking at your flushed cheek, “You’re bushing, how cute! I never thought I’d see the day (y/n) got all flustered,” he exclaimed, bringing his face closer to yours. He held eye contact for a moment before continuing, his voice low, “You look adorable when you’re all embarrassed like that, I wanna see it more often.”_

_You didn’t have time to respond before he got up, a slight chuckle escaping his lips as he walked away, leaving you alone and very confused._

 

It felt like you had only been asleep for a few minutes when you awoke, the feeling of someone harshly shaking your shoulder bringing you back to consciousness. Blearily, you opened your eyes, Kokichi’s face focusing into view. He looked frantic, eyes wide with fear. His mouth was moving, but in your daze you could only make out a few words. The one that stuck out in your mind the most, however, was the word “body _”_.

You shot up, hair messily framing your face as adrenaline rushed through your veins. Something was wrong. Really wrong. Gripping Kokichi’s shoulders, you felt panic begin to well up inside you as you asked, “What’s going on!?”

“They found a body, there was just an announcement. We have to go down to the library right now,” he explained, taking your hand and pulling you out of the bed with urgency.

You stumbled for a moment before steadying yourself, but your head still spun as you tried to comprehend what he was saying, “A body? No, no there couldn’t be. That would mean… that would mean…”

“Someone died. They were killed by one of the students here. It’s awful, I know, but we have to go. I don’t want to see who it is either, but just hiding here won’t do anything,” he reasoned. His tone was serious, the darkest it’s been since you arrived at the academy, and anguish was clear in his eyes. He hated this just as much as you did, but it was clear he was trying to conceal it for your sake.

Biting your lip harshly, you held back the fear that captivated your mind and allowed him to lead you out of the dorm. You didn’t even have time to slip your shoes on, but it hardly mattered to you anymore. Someone had died, one of your friends. The two of you raced to the library, your hands clasping one anothers for dear life as your feet swiftly hit the concrete. A few times you nearly collided with the other students rushing to the same destination, but you paid no mind to them after a quick apology.

Kirumi and Kiibo had reached the doors before you, swinging them open and allowing for everyone to enter. Instantly, the scent of iron reached your nose. It almost made you gag, the stench of blood mixing in with the musk of old books. The smell used to be a comfort for you, but now as you warily ventured further, getting closer to the body belonging to one of your peers, you knew it would just be a reminder. A bad memory you would try to bury into the back of your mind.

The bulk of the group was crowded near the back, each exchanging looks of horror. Some were paralyzed in their spot, lips quivering and expressions blank. Others were stoic, but it was easy to see they were crumbling behind their masks. There wasn’t a soul in the room that wasn’t in shock. Kokichi’s hand squeezed yours tightly, all the color draining from his face as you rounded the final corner.

Through the group you could see him clearly, the curled up body of Rantaro Amami. Blood surrounded his head, a deep crimson seeping into the carpet. Only a few days ago you had sat in that exact spot, unknowing of the calamity to come.

You were sick, nausea making its way up your stomach. Clasping a hand over your mouth, you turned away, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall down your cheeks. You couldn’t show weakness, especially not now. Desperate for a distraction, your eyes found Kokichi. He was emotionless, his demeanor blank and distant as he stared ahead. You clasped his hand tighter, knuckles turning white from the pressure.

It was too much for you, and he could tell. His gaze flickered over to you, seeing the dread written clearly over your face. To anyone else you may have looked normal, apathetic even, but the way your eyes glossed over accompanied by the slight trembling he felt from your hand gave your true feelings away. Over the years he had come to be able to read you, and you him, but now you wished that ability wasn’t so clear. You couldn’t hide your emotions from him, even when you needed to most.

More people gathered around, gasps being heard from the area behind you. A choked scream resounded around the small area, sending a chill down your spine. You couldn’t tell who it came from, and you didn’t bother to look.

“Rantaro!? But… why?” Kiibo exclaimed, his voice wavering with emotion.

Korekiyo let out a cold laugh, though any sort of humor was missing from his tone. As he began, he tugged on the brim of his cap so it nearly covered his eyes, “I see, so this ended up happening after all. My, my. What a world this is, so full of jokes like this.”

Kokichi let go of your hand, causing you to direct your attention to him. His face had changed, a false look of worry taking over his expression. You could tell what he was about to do, but you couldn't blame him though it was still cruel in its own way. Despite the terrible situation, humor and trickery were almost like defense mechanisms to him, hiding what he was truly feeling, as if not to appear weak. Almost like you. Taking a step closer to the body, he spoke, “This is a lie, right? My dearest Rantaro is dea- oh, I mean, was killed!”

“So, can somebody explain the meaning of all this?” Kirumi asked, seeming to ignore Kokichi’s outburst just like everyone else had.

Monokuma, who you failed to notice was standing amongst the group, shook his head, “Nah, an explanation isn’t necessary. Thanks to the First Blood Perk, there won’t be a class trial, so that’d just be a waste of time. With that said, if you’re the blackened who killed Rantaro, raise your hand!”

No one made a move, confused muttering breaking out in its place. Would the culprit really come forward in front of all of their peers? A few allegations were thrown between the group, though it consisted mostly Tenko insisting the blackened was male, as well as a threat or two from Kaito. But still, even with the prospect of freedom no one moved a muscle to come forward. The whole situation brought a question to your mind; just why weren’t they?

Monokuma seemed to grow impatient, tapping his foot on the ground in agitation, “Did you hear me? Would the blackened who’s about to _graduate_ please raise their hand! You know, the person who gets to leave this place for good!”

Again, the room stayed still. This time, no one even dared to speak. A silence filled the air as everyone looked around, expecting the killer to step forward at any second. But nobody did.

“Hm, I see how it is,” Monokuma said, letting out a laugh, “The blackened has no need for the First Blood Perk. They would rather do a class trial. Very well, then. I will give the blackened what they want and hold a class trial!”

“Wait, what the hell is going on?” Kaito asked, anger apparent in his words.

Monokuma let out a sigh, “These kids never listen to me… Like I said before, we’re going to hold a class trial so you can find Rantaro’s killer. If you get it right then only the blackened will be punished, but if you’re wrong you will all face a positively excruciating execution! And the ever-so-lucky blackened will be able to go free.”

“Everyone besides the blackened. Everyone…” Kaede trailed off, her face draining to a stark white. Her arms were trembling, though she crossed them as if to hide it.

Maki on the other hand showed little fear, instead her words being laced with annoyance, “This outcome is much worse, the culprit should have just stepped forward.”

Monokuma paid no mind to them, continuing his speech, “But before we can hold the class trial, you gotta investigate first. If you don’t investigate the murder, you won’t be able to argue over who did it.” He laughed once again, “The blackened’s handiwork has made this much more entertaining than I expected. All right, the trial begins soon so please give the investigation your all!”

With one final chuckle he left you all to start. Unease crept its way up your back, though you tried to ignore it. Blinking hard, you clenched your teeth as you tried to psych yourself up, “Let’s just get this over with already-”

“Let’s get going then-”

Stopping in your tracks, you looked to Kokichi in shock. You had both spoken at the same time, conveying almost the same idea. He seemed to wear a similar expression to you, though his cocky attitude triumphed it as a smirk pulled at his lips, “My, my, it’s seems like (y/n) read my mind. Is that part of your talent? If it is, what am I thinking right now? I’ll give you a hint, it’s dirty-”

“Kokichi, now really isn’t the time,” Shuichi scolded, though his voice seemed to waver with discomfort as he was brought into the spotlight. He glanced around the room in consideration before continuing, “We need to start investigating, and we can’t go around accusing each other while we do it. I heard it before, and it’s exactly what Monokuma wants. He wants us to lose trust in each other, and we can’t give him that. So, let’s investigate this case with faith in one another, alright?”

Several people around the room nodded in agreement, others verbally complying. It was a sound argument, and in a way it helped soothe your unease about investigation. Or maybe that was due to the fact that you got to watch one of Kokichi’s jokes get shut down so quickly. Either way, you could feel your heartbeat begin to calm in your chest.

“So, let’s get started,” Kiibo suggested, a chorus of positive responses ringing out after. Everyone was about to dissipate, searching on their own to gather clues, when a familiar presence stopped you.

“Hmm, this isn’t quite the mood I was expecting, but it’s okay! At least now you guys seem like you’re getting into it!” Monokuma said, appearing beside a bookshelf behind the group.

Miu jolted, his presence seeming to startle her, “You again!? The fuck are you doing here?”

He let out a cruel chuckle, “Don’t be so crude, I’ve come to bring you all a wonderful present.” He waved around a small tablet, similar in style to your student handbook, “It’s the Monokuma File! A detailed report that summarizes all the info about the dead body! But there’s no information that would point to the blackened, cause that would ruin the trials of course. I dunno, maybe you guys’ll find it useful since you’re not experienced investigators, you know?”

Once again, he left without any warning, leaving the Monokuma File on the floor where he previously stood. Everyone looked to it skeptically, wary about the validity of the contents. Kaito huffed, “Monokuma File? Like hell am I going to believe something he made.”

“Whether you believe it or not, it would still be prudent to examine its contents, no?” Kirumi argued.

You couldn’t deny your curiosity. Even though it was made by Monokuma, it could still have some truth to it. Afterall, it was just information about the body, right? What would he gain out of lying about something like that? Before anyone could object, you scooped it up from the ground, pressing the power button and watching as the screen lit up.

A few students crowded around you as you looked though the file, Rantaro’s picture prominently displayed at the top of the information underneath. After reading it thoroughly, you clicked a tab at the upper right which took you to another screen, showing a picture of his body with the cause of death written underneath. The file gave no indication of the killer, just as Monokuma said, though you couldn’t help but feel a wave of disappointment. With a sigh you handed the file to the person next to you, allowing them to read it and pass it along between the other students.

After everyone was done, Kaede spoke up, “This is all the mastermind’s fault… the mastermind killed Rantaro.”

“Mastermind? I’m sorry, what are we talking about?” Kiibo asked, “I feel like we’re missing something, could you explain?”

Kaede and Shuichi looked to each other, seeming to have a conversation with their expressions alone. Glancing back to the group, Kaede began, “Yeah, I will. A few days ago Shuichi discovered a hidden door behind one of the book shelves. It could only be opened with a key card, one that none of us have.” She walked over to one of the bookshelves, pulling it open to reveal a metal door behind it. It was large, a device installed on the edge for a the key, “We placed dust on the card reader to see if it was being used, and it was. We figured it was the mastermind, and set up a trap for tonight to see if we could catch them.

“We hid motion sensored cameras in the shelves, along with a handheld alarm for the bookcase. When it went off we rushed down here, hoping to catch the mastermind, but instead… we found Rantaro.”

“Huh, so you were using the cameras I modified for a plan that shitty!” Miu exclaimed, a loud laugh escaping her lips.

Kaito on the other hand appeared distressed at the information, his eyebrows quirking upwards, “But why were you guys keeping something so important a secret from us?”

“It’s obvious that if the mastermind was one of us, they would try to sabotage their plan. You guys were afraid of that happening, weren’t you?” Ryoma explained.

Kaede nodded, ‘Yeah, that’s right.”

“Wait, but you guys set up cameras. The culprit was most definitely captured on them, I mean look where Rantaro was killed. We have to check them immediately!” Tenko said, pointing over to the one closest to Rantaro’s body. It was set up on the shelf above him, heavily taped to the wood of the bookcase with what seemed to be half a roll of duct tape. You let out a small chuckle at its appearance, for some reason you had a feeling that one was secured by Kaede.

Shuichi obliged, sprinting to each camera and carefully removing them from their spots, Kaede’s taking a little longer than the others. He brought them back to the group, holding each one in his hands, “Here they are, there was only three. All we need to do is develop the film, and there should be a solution for that in the warehouse.”

Kirumi stepped forward, holding out her hands to Shuichi, “I will develop the film. It’s my duty as the Ultimate Maid to fulfill any of these needs, so please leave it to me.”

“Wait, I’ll do it for ya!” A voice insisted, Monophanie appearing right in behind the two, “I’ll develop the film so you can focus on the investigation. I mean, if you were all killed it would just be too grotesque!”

“We can do it ourselves, you don’t have to-”

As Kaede tried to argue, Monophanie slipped past her and grabbed the cameras from Shuichi’s hands with an impressive speed. In an instant she was back in her original spot, her small arms full with the cameras, “I am a strong sensual girl, don’t underestimate me! I’ll have these developed soon, so you don’t need to worry about them. We have to follow the rules too, you know, we can’t do anything unfair.”

Just like her father, she let just as she had appeared. Kaede attempted to reach out to her, but as soon as her hands even made it close Monophanie had disappeared. Kaede deflated, her expression dropping, “Our evidence… that was such an important clue.”

“Hey, it’s going to be alright. She said she had to follow the rules, so she can’t tamper or dispose of it. I know you’re worried, I am too, but we’ll just have just have to trust her for now,” you reasoned, though you could feel the unease settling in your stomach. Biting your lip, you tried to hide it so the others could find at least a bit of comfort in your words.

It seemed to work on Kaede, as she took a deep breath and nodded, “Yeah, alright. We’re just going to have to do this. We’ll worry about the cameras later, right now we just need to start investigating everything else we can.”

“Yeah, let’s just start this already. And try to take this seriously, okay guys? Our lives are on the line,” Kokichi said, his usual taunting tone laced in his words. The others brushed him off, but you could tell by the way his hand subconsciously reached up to run through his hair that he was distraught.

“Before we start, I’d like to suggest that we not investigate by ourselves,” Kirumi proposed, “If we let the culprit work by themselves, they may try and destroy the evidence. I do not intend to offer a suggestion that would further arouse suspicion, but it’s only the safest route to take. Now, shall we begin the investigation?”

Everyone agreed, the words “yes” and “sure” being called throughout the room. You were silent, but the look of determination that swiftly crossed your features was enough to tell that you concurred. With that, the group dissipated, forming small groups of two or three to investigate. As if on instinct you drifted towards Kokichi, shooting him a look of hesitance. Would people be suspicious if you worked together?

He seemed to know what you were getting at, a smirk tugging at his lips as he motioned for you to join him. As soon as you did, he began, “Okie dokie, let’s get this over with, (y/n). I really don’t want us dying today, so try not to slack off _too_ much,” he teased, grabbing your wrist and pulling you closer to Rantaro’s body. You started to resist, digging your heels into the ground, but he persisted until you ultimately gave up. As much as you detested the idea of seeing his body, you knew it was a vital part of the investigation. As soon as you got there Kokichi knelt down in front of it, his voice lowering to a whisper only you could hear, “God, why did this have to happen?”

A pang of sympathy went through your heart as you crouched beside him, placing a hand on his back, “I don’t know, I really wish I did. Maybe someone just got more desperate than the others, they didn’t have the strength to stay here.”

“Then why didn’t they admit to it when Monokuma said? If they did they would’ve gotten to go home. Why go through all the trouble denying it and having the trial afterall? It would just up your chances of dying,” He mused, one of his eyebrows quirking upwards, “It just doesn’t make any sense.”

“Maybe they think it’s fun? Like some sick and twisted game,” you suggested.

“Oh come on (y/n), they’re not me.”

You rolled your eyes, pulling yourself up from the ground. It felt strange, acting so casual only a few feet away from a body, but you tried not to let it get to you, “I know for a fact you don’t think that way, mister. No matter how many times you lie about it, you can’t trick me.”

“I’ll just have to try harder, then,” he said, smiling up at you before returning his gaze back to the scene. His eyes scanned around the area on the floor, finding a bloody shot put ball on the floor next to Rantaro. He leaned closer to it, but was careful not to touch the weapon, “This is from the warehouse, anyone could’ve gotten to it. But, you’d have to be pretty strong to throw it and cause a wound like that.”

You were taken back a bit, your eyebrows furrowing in confusion, “Woah, you know a lot about this stuff. This is like the most serious I’ve ever heard you.”

“Well, when you’re a leader of an evil organization you learn a lot,” he said, seeming satisfied with his findings and pulling himself up to join you, “But that’s another lie, of course.”

You shook your head, “Yeah I know that, idiot. But anyways, do you think we should we move on? There’s some other stuff we need to look at, and I kinda need a distraction so I won’t start getting all emotional.”

“Yeah alright, I wouldn’t want (y/n) to start crying all over the crime scene. You’re an ugly crier, did you know that?”

“Be quiet, you’re not any better.”

The moving bookcase was up next for the investigation, it’s presence in the library bringing suspicion. As you made your way to it, you could see Shuichi and Kaede standing by the shelf as well, Shuchi moving to slide it open. Just then did you notice the small device taped to the top in a similar fashion to the cameras.

“Hey, isn’t that the sensor you set up to let you know when someone moves the shelf?” you asked, pointing upwards, “How does it even work?”

Shuichi followed your gaze, nodding once it reached the device, “Yeah, I should probably remove that now. But when the bookcase opens-” he pulled a small object out of his pocket, “-it’s supposed to set off this receiver to let us know.”

“Then why isn’t it going off right now?” Kokichi asked, taking ahold of the shelf and swinging it back and forth before Kaede and Shuichi could stop him, “Shouldn’t it be ringing like crazy?”

Shuichi shot you a quick look, his features showing a hint of exasperation that was clear he was trying to hide for the sake of politeness. The annoyance wasn’t aimed at you, however, but at Kokichi. A smirk pulled its way to your lips as you gave him a small shrug, motioning for him to answer the question, “Normally it would, but the sensor is turned off.”

“Wait, it had an off button?” you asked.

“Yeah, we had it on while we were keeping watch but turned it of on the way here. Since the mastermind could’ve been inside we didn’t want them to hear the alarm going off, it would just give us away,” he explained, though you couldn’t help but feel bothered by the fact. Kokichi seemed the same way, subtly nudging your arm as soon as Shuichi confirmed it.

After a bit more searching around the area and secret door, you both turned out with nothing of interest. And like always, Kokichi was beginning to grow bored, restlessly pacing around the bookcase as you checked every last detail. Every so often he’d groan out a complaint or two, but it wasn’t nearly as many as usual. A part of you was grateful he was taking it seriously, while the other was unnerved, knowing just the reason _why_.

Overall, the only thing the investigation did was leave you even more confused. There were many clues you had written down in your Monopad, pictures of various others accompanying, but putting them together was where the difficulty lied. The plethora of evidence you acquired was rendered essentially useless as you tried to piece it all together, leading to no one specific. It was infuriating, but you knew you had to keep looking, looking for the truth behind the murder of your classmate.

Your spirits were dampened as the chime from the monitor went off, the Monokubs proudly displayed on the screen as it switched on. It was over, the investigation was over. Gritting your teeth in frustration, you looked up to the display, hearing the exact opposite of what you expected. Monophanie flashed three envelopes in her paw, waving them around as if it was a toy she was using to taunt you with, “Rise and shine, ursine! The photos are done developing, so we’ll be waiting for you in the warehouse.”

With that, the monitor went black. In the reflection it was easy to see the shocked expression on the faces of those left in the library as they processed the information. As if breaking from a trance, one by one your peers broke into a sprint towards the warehouse, you and Kokichi following soon after. You had completely forgotten about the pictures. Maybe the investigation wasn’t completely hopeless after all.

The two of you ended up being the first ones to arrive besides Kaede and Shuichi, who you assumed were already close to the warehouse when the announcement was made. The Monokubs were nowhere in sight, though the envelopes Monophanie was flashing around were now gripped tightly in Kaede’s hand.

As the rest of the students filed in the sounds of muttered complaints filled the air as they caught their breath. Kiibo, however, was unfazed, being the first to speak out of the large group, “Kaede, are those the photos that were developed?”

“Yeah, finally,” she said, holding the envelopes up for everybody to see, “I haven’t opened them yet, we were waiting for everyone else to get here.”

“Well we’re all here now, so just open the already! I’m super curious, I wonder what kind of stupid face the culprit is making…” Kokichi mused, his eyes lighting up as he tried to steal a peek inside.

Kaede nodded, taking the first envelope and pulling off the seal, “These are from the camera set up near the front entrance,” she pulled them out, a small stack of only four photos, “Let’s take a look.”

The first picture was of her, as well as Shuichi, Kaito, and Tenko, rushing through the large doors. It was easy to assume it was taken when the sensor went off, alerting Shuichi of the movement of the bookcase. After everyone had a look, she moved to the second, which displayed Gonta, Angie, Maki, and Himiko running into the library in a similar fashion. The third showed the rest of the class, including you and Kokichi. Your cheeks flushed slightly at the picture, the way his hand tightly gripped yours was clear for everyone to see.

Pushing the embarrassment to the back of your mind, you kept silent and tried not to bring any attention to it. It seemed to have worked, as Kaede flipped over to the next picture without saying a word as she revealed the final photo. You had to admit, a small laugh escaped your lips when you saw it. Shuichi’s face was extremely close to the camera, his arm extending to the side as if he was reaching for something.

He let out a noise of surprise, sheepishly covering the bottom of his face with his hand, “Ah, I guess I was picked up by the sensor and photographed when I removed the cameras.”

“You’re funny, Shuichi,” Kaede laughed, briefly patting him on the shoulder with her free hand. Gathering up the four photos, she put them back in the envelope and moved on to the next, “Okay, these are for the back entrance. There’s only two here.”

Without hesitation she pulled them out, the one on top showing the closest thing you’ve gotten to a solid clue. It was Rantaro pulling open the sliding door to the side entrance, entering the library. He looked… uneasy? His face was neutral, but his body language showed the clear apprehension he must have been feeling. Kaede lingered on the picture a little longer than she did the others, catching herself after a moment and moving on to the next. Again, Shuichi’s face was photographed awkwardly, earning a few chuckles from various students.

“So, that's it for the back entrance…” Kaede trailed off. The unrest in her voice was easy to relate to; if that was it for both entrances, then when did the killer enter the library? Without another word se moved onto the final envelope, silently pulling out the pictures. Again, there were only two.

In the first, Rantaro was shown opening the bookcase as he curiously peered inside. One thing you couldn’t help but notice was the lighting, how deep the shadows were compared to the others, but you figured it was because of the angle. The next one, however, shocked you the most out of the whole set. Rantaro was in a similar position to how Shuichi was before, reaching out to the camera as if to remove it from its spot.

“What? What is he… is he reaching for the camera?” you asked, stepping closer to Kaede to get a better look, “Why? Was he trying to remove it?”

Shuichi perked up at your words, “Hey, now that you mention it, when I was removing the cameras I noticed something weird. This was the only one that had its sensor turned off out of the three.”

“That would mean it was probably turned off during this exact instance,” Korekiyo guessed.

Shuichi appeared puzzled, his eyebrows drawing together as he took the picture from Kaede, “So Rantaro noticed the hidden camera? He shouldn't have.”

“That doesn’t matter right now, what’s more important is where the culprit is. How could they kill someone without entering the library!? The Monokubs probably took the photo out just to mess with us!” Kaito exclaimed.

“Yeah I thought that too, but Monophanie said that even they have to abide by the rules to make it a fair trial. And I know you guys don’t wanna trust what they say, but we have to think about this logically. This is a game to them, something they get entertainment out of. They wouldn’t purposely go out of their way to kill us all and end it. Right?” you explained, trying to rationalize with them. Even though you wanted to believe the photos were taken out, you knew that just wasn’t the case.

It went silent for a moment, before Kokichi spoke up, “She’s right, this whole thing would just be super boring for the mastermind if we all died. They wouldn’t intentionally keep something like that from us.”

Agreements were muttered around the room as everyone slowly came to terms with the situation. So, the killer really wasn't in any of the pictures. A more hopeless air filled the room, only to be interrupted by the chime of the monitor turning on.

Instead of the Monokubs like usual, it was Monokuma was lounging on the screen, a glass of champagne held lazily in his paw. His agitating voice sounded throughout the area, “Well then, I’m tired of waiting, so it’s time for the class trial you’ve all been waiting for! Please make your way inside the Altar of Judgement in the courtyard right away, beyond the big red door in the center. I’ll guide you bastards to the class trial from there.” He gave a cold laugh, “Well then, I’ll see you soon.”

Everyone reluctantly made their way out of the warehouse, heading down to the courtyard like he had instructed. You were about to follow, though before you could make it far Kokichi grabbed your wrist, pulling you back to face him. His face had a grin plastered over it, though his hands trembled ever so slightly.

He checked to make sure everyone had gone before planting  quick kiss on your forehead, “Let’s make it out of this thing alive, ‘kay?”

“No promises,” you sighed.

He shook his head, flicking you on the same spot his lips had been a moment before, “Nuh uh, you better fucking promise me. I _want_ to live, thank you very much.”

“Fine, I promise.”

“Good.”

 

* * *

 

Kaede.

Kaede, Kaede, Kaede. Why did it have to be _her_? Why did she have to be the culprit? She was the one keeping everyone united in the first place, promising a way out, a future where you could all be friends. Before she was proven guilty you were able to believe it, but whatever hope you had withered away as you watched her get dragged from the trial grounds, clawing at the metallic clamp around her neck for freedom.

You watched her die. As she choked from the rope tight on her windpipe. The melody Monokuma played with her body would usually be pleasant, one that normally filled a person with joy, but even the thought of even hearing the tune of a piano again made you sick. How the top slammed down on her hanging form, vibrant blood splattering all the areas around the execution stage. The scent of iron still lingered in your nose.

But the worst part was, you couldn’t even help her.

You were completely useless. All you did was stand rooted in your spot as you watched. If only you could’ve stopped it, ran to interfere. But you just watched.

_Useless. Useless._

You repeated those thoughts to yourself over and over, your nails pushing harder than they ever have before into the soft flesh of your palms. The wounds from before reopened, getting deeper as a dark crimson rolled down your skin. A red droplet hit your bed sheet, blooming over the light fabric in a unique pattern. Another landed on your shirt as your brought your hands to eye level, watching as the blood dripped down your arms. You deserved this.

A knocking at the door brought you out of your haze, your head shooting up at the sound. It was past nighttime, who would be at your dorm so late? With a raspy voice you called for them to give you a minute, looking back down at your hands.

“Shit, what did I do to myself!?” you whispered, shooting up from your bed to grab a towel from the bathroom, haphazardly patting at the irritated skin on your palms in a panic. It didn’t help much, but the blood was less noticeable.

It took much longer than a minute to clean yourself up, but when you opened the door you were surprised to find a figure still there, waiting for you. Leaning against the frame was Kokichi, pushing past you as soon as you answered. From behind you, you heard the squeaking of someone putting pressure on the bed, Kokichi’s voice ringing out shortly after, “You’re not able to sleep either?”

“No. I just can’t stop… thinking,” you explained, shutting the door and locking it before continuing, “Remembering…”

Your gaze lingered blankly at the wall for a moment before you turned around. Kokichi was sitting on the edge of your bed, his elbows propped up on his knees as he stared to the ground. He lifted his head up to meet your eyes, “Yeah.”

You made your way over to him, voice laced with concern as you stood in front of him, “Are you okay-”

He cut you off, holding a finger up in a quieting motion as he asked, “(y/n), what is that?”

His gaze was directed downwards at your hands, which were loosely hanging by your sides. A deep crimson painted your fingertips, dripping down onto the carpet. The bleeding hadn’t stopped. You panicked, moving to hide your hands behind your back, but he grabbed your right wrist before you could, “You really need to stop doing this. Come on, keep your hands elevated- both of them -it’ll help stop the bleeding. Here, follow me into the bathroom.”

You did as he said, watching as he turned on the tap. He grabbed a rag from underneath the sink, stopping for a moment to raise an eyebrow at the already bloodied one you discarded earlier, before dampening it under the faucet. You extended your hands out, allowing him to press the cool cloth against your palms. Gently, he cleaned off the blood until the cuts made by your nails were clear, deep crescent-shaped lacerations.

“I swear, you need to trim these nails. You didn’t even notice you were bleeding, did you?” he asked, rooting through the bathroom cabinet to find hydrogen peroxide. With a quiet “aha!” he found it, pulling the bottle out from the back and unscrewing the cap. He poured a bit onto the same rag, dabbing it onto your hands.

You let out a hiss of pain, sucking in the air through your teeth, “No, not until I felt it on my skin. I guess I should cut my nails, this happened earlier as well but not as bad… You know I didn’t mean to do this, right?”

The last part was only half true, but he didn’t need to find that out.

“Yeah I know, idiot. Just try and keep these claws short, ‘kay? I don’t want you bleeding everywhere again,” he said, finishing up and bandaging up both of your hands, “Alright, you’re all healed by Doctor Kokichi!”

You gave him a smile, “Thanks, how shall I ever repay you?”

“Hmm, I don’t know. How about… a soda from the dining hall!” he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up for a moment, shortly after letting out a laugh, “But of course, that’s a lie. I think all I need is a… kiss.”

Rolling your eyes, you gave him a swift kiss on the cheek and left the bathroom, tugging him out behind you. Once you were back in the main room, you did something unexpected. You turned to face him, suddenly wrapping your arms around his waist, pulling him in for a hug. Burying your head in his shoulder, you mumbled, “Thank you so much, by the way. Even in times like this when people are dying and I’m so terrified, you always have a way of making me laugh. So, I just wanted thank you.”

He didn’t respond right away, instead holding you closer. His head rested on top of yours, and his reply was uncharacteristically sheepish, “No problem.”

 

_Fifteen/Seventeen_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I just want to let everyone know, from now on these updates might be a little more sparse. Next week my school is holding the auditions for our play, and I'll hopefully get a role. That being said, I'll have to stay for around two hours after school every day, and my time to write will be cut short. I hope you all understand, and wish me good luck!!


	4. Nostalgia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote this whole chapter while I was sick as a dog and high on cold medicine, so here's to praying it makes sense! I proofread it like seven times and it seemed alright, but that could just be my sick mind talking. Anyways, I hope you all enjoy, this is officially the longest chapter in this fic so far!!!

_“I finally found you, (y/n)!”_

_You were lounging in the library, textbooks and folders scattered all around the surface of the table you were at. Earlier that afternoon you had finished all your homework, but out of sheer laziness you left your supplies spread out on the table, picking up a novel to read until you were ultimately kicked out. There was still an hour left until the library closed when Kokichi plopped down across from you, his usual smile gracing his features._

_You let out a sigh and set the book down, giving him the attention he demanded, “Hey Kokichi, what are you still doing here? School ended a while ago, shouldn’t you have gone home by now?”_

_“(y/n)’s always so worried about me, I’m blushing,” he joked, picking up one of your folders and mindlessly flipping through it, “I didn’t feel like going home yet- woah, nice test score -so I decided to look for you, but I couldn’t find you anywhere. I didn’t know you went to the library after school.”_

_“Yeah, I’m usually here every day. I don’t feel like going home either, so I do my homework and relax until they kick me out,” you explained, snatching back the folder and placing it in your backpack._

_He leaned forward on his elbows, tilting his head to the side, “Why? Your house is so fun, I love going over there. Why don’t you?”_

_“Well, I… I…” you trailed off, trying to put your thoughts into words. It was hard to explain what you felt so openly, especially to someone like Kokichi, but he was your best friend. He would understand, right? Taking a deep breath, you began, “Well, since my mom works late I’ll be alone, and I kinda don’t like being alone with myself. I get bad thoughts, I guess, so I come here for a distraction so I don’t… nevermind. What I was saying was that it works for a while, but the library closes at five…”_

_His expression shifted slightly to where he almost looked worried. It changed back quickly as he leaned forward on his elbows, “I guess I’m gonna have to start coming over more, then.”_

_Your eyes widened, shaking your head quickly, “Wait, no you don’t have to! I don’t want to bother you with this, it’s just something stupid.”_

_“Something stupid? The only thing that’s stupid is you for thinking that. I want to hang out anyways. It gets totally boring after school when I have nothing to do, so what’s better than spending time with you?”_

_Averting your eyes, you could feel your cheeks begin to heat up, “Alright, I guess. But are you really sure you want to? I meant it when I said you didn’t have to, I’ll be alright if I’m alone.”_

_“I’m positive. Now let’s get out of here, it’s depressing. I heard this new arcade opened up downtown a few days ago and they have laser tag; I’ve been dying to check it out with you, but mostly so I can completely kick your ass. You know, they call me the laser tag king where I’m from.”_

_You began to gather up your stuff, placing it in your backpack and zipping it up. Raising an eyebrow, you looked back to him skeptically, “Laser tag king? Okay, that’s a lie.”_

_“Yep, you know me so well (y/n),” he said, getting up from his seat and practically pulling you out of yours, “Now let’s go, I’m getting impatient!”_

_With a smile you allowed him to lead you out of the library, almost too aware of how his hand lingered in yours even as you caught up to his pace._

 

“Rise and shine, ursine! This is an official announcement from the Ultimate Academy! It is now 8am, so please have a wonderful killing school semester today.”

Rubbing your eyes, you blearily pulled yourself up from where you rested on your bed. Without even having to look, you could tell your hair was a mess. It wasn’t a surprise, the previous night had been the roughest one since Kaede’s execution. A bad feeling had made its way into the pit of your stomach earlier that evening, refusing to go away, leaving you in a state of unrest for several long hours. Constantly you were tossing and turning, frustration seeping it’s way into your mind as you tried desperately to get some sleep. You couldn’t tell what time it was when you finally did so, but the fatigue that clouded your head was a sign that it wasn’t much.

Throwing the blanket from your legs, you noticed the monitor on the wall was still on. Usually it would just stop at the morning announcement, but as you watched it was clear that wasn’t the case. After a bit of bickering between Monophanie and Monokid, Monosuke began to explain the reasoning behind their extended presence, “We dropped off some presents in your rooms, so make sure to take a good look at ‘em. Well then, so long and bear well.”

Confused, you took a glance around for anything out of the ordinary. At first you didn’t spot a thing out of place, though a flash of color at the corner of your eye caught your attention. Sitting on the coffee table was a brightly colored tablet, similar to that of the of the Monopad and Monokuma File. With a groan you pulled yourself up, slowly making your way up to it.

Picking it up, you turned the colorful device around in your hands. The first thing you noticed was the fine print on the back, spelling out the words “Kubs Pad”. You quirked an eyebrow at the name, but didn’t question it so much as you tapped the screen. Instantly the tablet turned on, a video playing as soon as it did so.

Eerie music played in the background as your name appeared across the top, your silhouette outlined beside it. The worst part, however, was what the title described it as; your motive video.

Monokuma’s dreadfully upbeat voice rang through the speakers, “Alright, back by popular demand is the motive video! Who’s the most important person in _your_ life? I wonder? Let’s begin, let’s begin!”

The picture on the screen suddenly changed, a photo of you and three other people replacing the previous display. It was one you recognized all too well. From the matching white outfits to the silly poses, it was from long before the game began. You could remember that afternoon it was taken like it had just happened yesterday.

It was during a skip day at your school a year beforehand, and Kokichi, as well as two of your closest friends, Kiyo and Hana, decided to wreak havoc at the local amusement park. It was the most fun you had for a while, being able to let loose and forget about all your stress. At the end of the day you had asked a stranger to take the picture for you, Kokichi’s arm wrapped securely around your waist as the two girls stood beside you brandishing their most ridiculous faces. It was easily one of your most treasured photos.

“(y/n) (l/n), the Ultimate Hypnotist,” Monokuma’s voice spoke once again, “Due to her exceptional talent with the art of hypnosis, this young lady is already selling out full stadiums of people coming to see her shows. Impressive! But more than anything, this girl values her friendships above all. Growing up she lived quite the lonely life without having many friends, that is, until she joined the secret organization ‘DICE’ when she was fifteen years old. Ever since, the members, especially her two best friends, had become like family to her, _but_ …”

It changed again, and the scene before your eyes made you gasp. You and Kokichi were no longer in the picture, though your two other friends had remained. Instead of the fun and chaos of the amusement park raging in the background behind them, a dark wall took its place. Traces of blood smeared on the dark bricks, leading down to your worst fear. Kiyo and Hana were collapsed onto each other, their heads slumping together lifelessly. White uniforms were dyed red, blotches of deep maroon blooming over various parts of their bodies.

“Oh? But whatever happened to these poor girls? It’s seems like they’ve met an un _bear_ able outcome of some sort, but what caused it is a secret. Want to know what happened? Graduate and find out for yourself!

You felt your hands begin to shake with intensity as you dropped the tablet onto the carpet. What happened? Who had hurt them? Back at home they were your only solace from the stress of performing, and they were always there for you when you needed them. But as you remembered the horrid picture on the screen, you couldn’t help but think of how you weren’t able to be there for them.

It seemed that as soon as your tablet turned off, there was a knocking at your door. Taking a deep breath, you steadied the trembling that immobilized you and made you way over to it. Like you expected, Kokichi was standing outside, his Kubs Pad clutched in his hand with white knuckles.

“They have to be joking with this, right? There’s no way I’d believe something would happen to _my_ organization,” he said, his voice not showing any fear. You would’ve believed it to be genuine, if not for how quickly the words came out, “Let me inside already, you have to see this laughable shit.”

Obliging, you stepped aside and allowed him to take a seat on the chair in front of your coffee table. Scooping up your tablet from the ground, you sat on the arm of the chair and watched as he switched his on.

Just like yours, his started up with his name scrawled across the center, his silhouette displayed to the sides of the screen. After a moment it changed, a picture of the whole organization taking up the display. He stood proudly at the center, the rest of the members behind him striking various poses. You could see yourself near the back, your arm around Hana’s shoulders as you smiled for the camera. It must’ve been from a month or two before you were put in the game.

Once again, Monokuma’s voice sounded through the speakers, “Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader. He caused mayhem the world over as the leader of the secret organization, DICE. And by ‘mayhem’, I mean nonviolent crimes and harmless pranks.” You let out a snort at this, but continued to watch nonetheless, “Anyway, with eleven loyal members working for him, they soon became like friends and family. The most important people in his life. But then…”

Just as suddenly as yours had, the screen had changed. Everyone except for you and Kokichi were locked behind bars, battered and bloodied. What was the worst, however, was the poses Hana and Kiyo were in. The same exact ones as your video, slumped together as blood stained their attire.

“A terrible event befell those precious people. What kind of a event? It’s a secret! Graduate and find out for yourself!”

With that the screen went blank, the darkness reflecting your grim faces. His expression was unreadable, blank, but yours showed more fear than before. Curious, he quirked an eyebrow, “What’s wrong? I already told you this has to be fake.”

Not saying a word, you pushed your tablet into his hands and prompted him to watch the video. A fire of urgency filled your eyes, causing his heart to race. Just what was in there that made you so scared? Hesitantly, he tapped on the screen, watching it light up as your video played. At the end was when he caught it. Hana and Kiyo. They were identical to how they looked in his video. That had to be a coincidence, right?

“I swear to god, this better be a trick,” you said, voice low in fear, “This has to be a trick. They couldn’t just hurt a whole group of people like that. Right? There’s no way the mastermind would be able to do that, is there?”

He shook his head, setting down both Kubs Pads on the coffee table, “No, they wouldn’t be able to get away with this. Just think, if that many people went missing everyone would be in an uproar trying to find them. Not to mention the motive videos the others got. If something happened to their friends and families it would definitely bring suspicion.”

“Yeah, that’s right. They’re definitely not stupid enough to actually harm them,” you said, though it was mostly to calm yourself down. With a sigh you pulled yourself up from the arm of the chair, extending your hand out to him, “Do you think we should go and meet up with the others? They’re probably in the dining hall by now.”

He took it, tugging himself up beside you and straightening out his jacket, “Yeah, we should get going. Who knows how much those idiots are panicking.”

Shoving both of the Kubs Pads into a backpack you found in your closet, you both left for the main building. As soon as you stepped into the hall, however, you ran into someone, Kokichi missing them completely as you collided with their chest. Letting out a surprised squeak, you stumbled backwards, being met with the startled face of Kaito. He flashed you an apologetic grin, “Oh, sorry about that (y/n). I was actually just coming to get you, we need everyone in the dining hall right now.”

“Oh, we were actually about to head down there. Is this all about the motive videos?” you asked.

He nodded, “Yeah, the others asked me to go get everybody. Speaking of that, do you know where Miu is? I thought she’d be in her room but she wouldn’t answer.” He let out a small laugh, “I was ringing her door bell for like five minutes.”

“She’s probably in her lab, ever since it opened a few days ago she’s been in there nonstop. But be careful when you go in there, I went to hang out with her yesterday and startled her so badly she threw a wrench at me,” you explained, chuckling from the memory, “I guess she didn’t hear me come in. Just be careful and you should be fine, save for a few blows to your ego.”

“Nah, I’ll be fine. A few insults can’t hurt me, I’m a freaking astronaut for crying out loud. Well, I guess I’ll get going. I’ll see you both at the dining hall,” he said, waving goodbye as he bounded out of the building to Miu’s research lab.

You followed shortly after, Kokichi beside you as you made your way out of the dorms. Once you reached the outside, he turned to you, his face brandishing an impressed expression, “Wow, I didn’t know you got long that well with Kaito. Am I going to be having some competition?”

“Nope, he’s not really my type. I think I prefer supreme leaders,” you joked, lightly nudging him, “Besides, I was just being friendly. Maybe you should try it sometime. But in all honesty, for some reason ever since the last trial I’ve been more sociable. I think it’s my way of coping.”

“Well if that so, then you and I are polar opposites. I’ve just been trying to distance myself from everyone here, besides you, of course. If I don’t trust anyone, I won’t be deceived,” he explained, shoving his hands into his pockets nonchalantly.

You shot him a smirk. Even though you still shared a bit of that mentality with him, it was still fun to tease your boyfriend, “Woah, calm down there, edgelord. Don’t start pullin’ out the eyeliner. Wait a second, be quiet. What’s that?” You held your hand up to your ear, “Is that… Welcome to the Black Parade? Yes, I can hear it clearly. It’s coming right from you, Kokichi.”

He shoved you back, causing you to stumble slightly, though you thankfully kept your footing. As you began up the stairs to the front entrance, he stopped you, “Remind me again why I’m with someone as stupid as you?”

“Because you _like_ me,” You teased, sticking out your tongue shortly after. He didn’t retort, instead rolling his eyes as he continued up the steps. You stood in your spot for a moment, a triumphant grin spreading across your face, before starting after him in a sprint. Catching up in only a few seconds, you fell into step beside him and continued through the school in a relative silence.

Once you entered the dining hall, there weren’t nearly as many people you expected. It seemed that only around half of the remaining class had been gathered, Kaito presumably retrieving the others. With a sigh you made your way up to the table, slinging your bag over the back of one of the chairs before taking a seat next to Shuichi. He glanced up briefly at the feeling of your presence, flashing you a smile that you gratefully returned.

One by one more people gathered in the dining hall, either taking seats or standing around the room. A chatter broke out amongst everyone, some talking about the videos while others spoke of nothing in particular. It was interesting to hear the conversations the others were having around you, listening to wild stories and amusing encounters. At one point, you ended up joining in on an exchange between Shuichi and Kaito (who had just returned), learning more about each of their Ultimates. Overall, it was fairly pleasant.

Finally, after what felt like forever, the last person arrived so you could start with the real topic at hand. Maki was the first one to talk, looking to Kaito curiously, “So what is it? Why did you drag us here?”

“Didn’t I tell you? It’s about the Kubs Pads, we can’t _not_ talk about them,” he explained, “I don’t know what exactly they are, but there’s no doubt they’re more motives from Monokuma. I’m just wondering why the hell they were all mixed up.”

As soon as you heard that you could feel the confusion fill your mind. Trying not to draw attention to yourself, you carefully nudged Kokichi beside you, whispering to him in a low voice, “What does he mean? Mixed up? I thought we each got our own, did theirs get swapped around?”

“I’m guessing so, but that’s really strange. We got our videos, but no one else that we know of got their own. I feel like this was done on purpose,” he muttered back, “But for what purpose, I don’t know.”

Kiibo interrupted your small conversation, speaking in a worried tone to the whole group, “We cannot exchange the videos. Although we do not know why our motives were mixed up, as long as we don’t exchange them, we don’t have to see our motives at all.”

“That’s true, if we ignore them then we won't have a motive,” Tenko said, “Then Monokuma’s plan for us to kill again would be ruined.”

Almost immediately Ryoma stepped up, “I’m against that.”

“Huh? Against it? Why? If you see that video, it’ll turn into a motive, right?” Tsumugi asked, her face showing the confusion everyone was feeling. Why would he be against it?

He gave a curt nod, “That’s why I want to see it.”

“You were saying something like that before,” Kaito started, crossing his arms in anger, “That you don’t plan on surviving. It might not matter to you whether you get killed or not, but we’re different! We all want to live! Wake up already! You’re like some zombie wandering around with no will to live!”

Ryoma shook his head, “No will to live, huh? Hmph, if that’s how you see me, then so be it. But I’ve got no plans to change my opinion. That’s just not cool.”

“What did you say!?”

“Who cares?” Kokichi interrupted, kicking his feet up on the table. He waited for a moment to continue, taking in the others puzzled expressions, “Ryoma just stated his opinion. Actually, I feel the same way as him.”

Kiibo shot him a glare, “Are you trying to cause trouble again?”

“No, don’t get the wrong idea. I’m not saying we shouldn’t care about killing or dying, but I think it’d be better if we didn’t cooperate with each other. Actually, we definitely shouldn’t cooperate with each other,” he explained, a smirk forming on his lips, “Think back to all of Monokuma’s actions so far. Whenever we tried to work together, Monokuma would retaliate with a plan to make us suffer. It happened when Kaede wanted us to cooperate, and again with these motive videos, right? Which means, the more we try to cooperate, the more he’ll try to make us suffer.”

It was silent for a few minutes, Kirumi being the first to speak up, “You are saying that if we do not rally together, we will not be made to suffer?”

“Yep! That’s why I had no choice but to screw with you guys, but you ingrates didn’t even notice,” he taunted.

From your other side, you noticed Shuichi stiffen, “And you’re not lying to us right now?”

“Whether I’m lying or not, what I’m saying is still true. Anyway, we shouldn’t force ourselves to cooperate, let’s just all do our own thing. Anyways, I’m warning you all for your sake, let’s just exchange our motive videos instead of cooperating with each other.”

Kiibo cocked his head to the side in confusion, “I cannot comprehend that logic.”

“Whatever. Well, now that I’ve said I won’t cooperate I can’t afford to be seen with you losers. C’mon, Gonta. Let’s go,” he said, pulling himself up from his chair and motioning for Gonta to follow.

Gonta seemed puzzled but did as he asked, pushing his chair back and standing, “What? Gonta too?”

“We promised to think of a way to get everyone to exchange their motive videos, remember? Anyway, Kirumi, I’ll hit you up when I’m feeling hungry,” Kokichi said, leaving the room with Gonta in tow. As they passed you could faintly hear Gonta mumbling to himself, wondering when he had ever made a promise. You covered your mouth with your hand, stifling the quiet laugh that came from it.

A moment later Maki stood as well, “So are we all done here? Because I’m leaving. Kirumi, bring me my dinner later.”

“I’m heading out too. Kirumi, could I get you to clean my room later?” Ryoma requested, turning on his heel and strolling out the doors.

Tsumugi sighed, resting her head in her hand, “You guys are relying on Kirumi too much. You’re going to overwhelm her.”

“I do not mind, serving others is the true desire of any maid,” Kirumi said, though the way she spoke sounded strained. She may have loved her job, though you could tell the workload piling up was getting stressful.

Pushing back your chair, you pulled yourself up and straightened out your skirt, “Okay, I think I’m gonna get going as well. Don’t worry Kirumi, I won’t ask you to do anything for me. But if anyone needs me I’ll probably be in my room.”

The others said their goodbyes, a few promising to stop by sometime during the day, before you left. Their comments made you happy in a way, knowing most of them considered you a friend, though a part of you felt wary. Maybe Kokichi’s way of thinking was right. If you stayed close to them, would you end up getting betrayed? Should you just try to distance yourself like you had before Rantaro and Kaede’s deaths?

And just what exactly was Kokichi planning? Though you hadn’t voiced it back in the dining hall, you couldn’t help but agree with his ideas of exchanging the motive videos. Considering how you both had gotten your own, it would only be fair if the others received theirs as well. But even though the others rejected him, you knew he wouldn’t give up so easily. So what on Earth was he plotting?

As those thoughts whirled around in your mind, you failed to notice where you had ended up. Your feet had taken you past the dorms, now heading down the trail to Miu’s lab. Not that you minded all too much, Miu was an interesting girl, but why did your subconscious take you to her, of all people? With a shrug, you continued, knocking on the door gingerly.

A moment passed before she swung open the door, an angry scowl on her face, “What do you want, bitch? Are you here to scare me with that ugly face of yours like you did yesterday?”

You tried not to let her words affect you as you answered, “No, actually, I wanted to hang out. If that’s alright with you, that is.”

“Oh? Well I mean, I guess that’s okay…” she trailed off, her face turning a light shade of pink. You guessed she didn’t get many people wanting to spend time with her. Like a switch was flipped, she was back to her usual self, pulling you inside her lab, “Well, since you caught me in a good mood I'll show you my inventions! Follow me!”

Stumbling slightly, you allowed her to lead you to the center of the lab. The day prior you were too busy dodging the wrench Miu threw to get a good look around the room, but now that you were fully inside you couldn’t help but gasp. The place was huge, various gadgets and tools hung up on the walls. In the center of it all was a table, one side more elevated than the other. It was far more extraordinary than you ever could’ve imagined.

Miu let out a loud laugh, “I see you like the place, huh? Well, of course you would, it’s the lab of Miu-freaking-Iruma!”

“I have to admit, this is pretty cool. So, what kind of stuff do you invent?” you asked, your eyes still wandering around the room. Various wires ran across the floor, and an assortment of chemicals and beakers sat at a table off to the side.

“I’m glad you asked, I’ll show ya!” she exclaimed, running off  to grab something off one of the counters. It was large metal object, a screen on one side, “This baby is the first invention I created here, I call it the ‘Hookup Counter’!”

You raised an eyebrow, “So, by the name I’m guessing it tells you how many people I’ve slept with?”

“Bingo! You’re a lot smarter than that dumb face makes you look, (y/n). But let’s test it out and see how many people you fucked!” she said, pointing the sensor at you before you could stop her. After a moment you heard a beeping, presumably giving her the result. She smirked, looking up from the device, “Huh, not too bad. So, who was it?”

Your cheeks flared a bright red as you covered the lower half of you face with your hand, “Um, an old boyfriend…”

It wasn’t exactly a lie, but she didn’t catch it either way. Letting out another laugh, she slung her arm around your shoulders, “But was it good? That’s the real question here, it hardly counts as getting fucked if it ain’t good!”

“I’d say it was pretty fun, but what about you, Miu? How many people have you-”

“Okay, on to the next invention!” she cut you off, hurriedly running to grab something else. You followed her this time to her table of inventions, looking over the plethora of metal and parts in awe. It was an achievement enough for her to be able to find anything in the mess, let alone create inventions. After a moment of sorting through it she found what she was looking for, holding up a ray gun. It was like something out of a science fiction movie.

She aimed it towards you, grinning from ear to ear, “This baby'll teleport underwear in a flash! I call it the ‘Goin' Commando’ gun! Just point this light at a pair of underwear, and you can send it anywhere you want! Whaddaya think!? Cool shit, right!?”

“Oh my god, try it on me,” you asked, taking a step closer. If it could really teleport objects, you wanted to experience it firsthand.

Her eyes widened and she turned away from you, a sudden timidness about her, “W-What? No, I don’t want you gross underwear! Who do you think I am, some kind of fucking pervert?”

“Miu, you made a gun specifically for the purpose of teleporting people’s underwear,” you pointed out, a giggle escaping your lips, “Even though they are a bit perverted, I have to say, your inventions are pretty cool. It’s not every day you see a sensor that tell you how many people a person has slept with.”

She seemed to brighten up at this, giving you a smirk, “Of course they’re cool, they came from _my_ mind!” She paused, taking a step closer to you, “Y'know, you're pretty alright (y/n); I'll treat you real good from now on! I mean, I’m not opposed to girls-”

Before she could finish, a knocking sounded from the lab door. Letting out a groan of announce, Miu stomped over to it, you close behind. Much like she had done with you, she threw open the door, glaring at the person who disturbed her. Timidly at the doorstep was Shuichi, jumping back when he saw her expression, “Oh, um, Himiko and Angie wanted me to get the word out that they’re having a magic show tomorrow morning in the gym to lift everyone’s spirits. They need a little help setting up tonight, so if you can they’d like a few extra hands.”

“Oh, sorry but-”

“Nah, I’ve got better things to do than set up for some lame-ass magic show! This beautiful mind had things to invent!” Miu exclaimed, slamming the door before he could even get another word in.

You gave her a low whistle, “Savage. You know, a simple ‘no thanks’ would have sufficed. Poor Shuichi is probably scared to death.”

“Whatever, it’s not like I care anyways. I wasn’t lying, I have better things to do. Now what should I invent, (y/n)? And don’t give me any shitty answers! I’m trusting you, so I only want the best ideas, you hear me!?” she asked, taking a seat on one of the many chairs around the room.

You sat down next to her, tapping your chin i thought, “Hm, well you made the Hookup Counter, how about something that tells you the kinks of the person you point it at?”

Her eyes lit up and she instantly grabbed a pencil and paper, “You’re a genius, why didn’t I think of that!? This is going to be so fucking cool, (y/n)!”

A smile tugged at your lips as you sat back, watching her frantically doodle a blueprint for the device. You were right to come here, something about her eccentric personality was incredibly entertaining to you. It helped keep you mind off the motive video, instead focusing on the weird and sexual conversations she initiated. It wasn’t that bad, though. In a way, she reminded you of your old friends, though with less of a filter.

It felt like forever as you sat there and talked, from either joking back and forth to delving into deeper topics. Even though the others had somewhat of a negative opinion about Miu, after a while you seemed to get along with her really well. She even toned down her more boisterous attitude with you, continuing to sit and chat even after the blueprint was long done.  

You could’ve stayed there all night, had it not been for the rumbling you felt in your stomach. Bidding her goodbye, you left her lab and started to head over to the dining hall in hopes that there would be leftovers from the dinner Kirumi made.

The sun was just beginning to set over the horizon, giving the whole area a golden glow. It was quite pretty, if you had to be honest. A part of you wished you were blessed with the artistic ability Angie had, just so you could paint the sky. Stopping for a moment, you took a deep breath. Times like this were… peaceful. There was no worrying, no distrust. Just you alone with the fresh air of the outdoors, warmth from the sun hitting your skin.

Silence. It was comforting, even pleasant in a way. There was no talking, no noise except for the whispers of wind blowing through the courtyard. Smiling, you continued to the main building of the academy, only getting to the dorms before you stopped again. Shuichi had just sprinted out of the doors, a frantic look in his eyes. Spotting you across the way, he ran up to you, “(y/n)!”

“What? What’s going on? What are you running!?” you asked, peering over his shoulder into the dorms to try and get some answers.

He did the same, though in a more paranoid manner, “Gonta… something happened. I just missed him, but it seems like he’s gone into a rage. He’s been checking all the rooms, I think he’s trying to catch everyone. We have to get out of here before he finds us.”

Just as he said that, the doors to the dormitories flew open as Gonta barreled out of them, coming to a stop right before the two of you. You let out a gasp, he had a different aura to him. It was almost as if you could feel the rage radiating off of his body. Narrowing his eyes, he looked between you two, “There you are… hey, where are you going?”

Shuichi grabbed your wrist and turned to run, pulling you after him. In seconds you caught up to his pace, but it was no use. You could hear Gonta’s heavy footsteps behind you, before it all went black. There was no impact, you didn't even have time to think before you lost consciousness. It was as if you were thrown into oblivion in an instant, the only thing greeting you being darkness.

When you awoke you were greeted with the sensation of someone lightly hitting your face, as if they were trying to wake you up. In the background you could hear faint whispering from two voices, one of which with anger laced in their words. Curious, you tuned in on their hushed conversation.

“Why the hell did you knock her out, idiot? She’s a girl, you don’t go around knocking girls unconcious!” the first voice scolded. He sounded closer to you, most likely belonging to the person trying to wake you up. He paused his actions, his hand resting almost affectionately on your shoulder, “Especially not this one, I told you not to hurt (y/n).”

The second sounded more distant, but still near enough for you to hear him whisper, “Sorry, but she was running away with Shuichi. Gonta tried to slow down, but Gonta ended up running into them both.”

So the second was Gonta, you thought. From the way he spoke, you could tell he didn’t mean to harm you, but the first voice wasn’t having it. He huffed, irritation clear in his tone, “Just go and get the others, I’ll deal with this.”

With that, you heard footsteps leaving the area, the opening and closing of a door soon after. The stranger muttered a few curses to himself, resuming his attempt at waking you up. After a moment you gave an annoyed groan, slapping their hand away and opening your eyes, being met with Kokichi’s grinning face hovering over you.

“Morning, sleepyhead! You’re finally up, (y/n)!” he exclaimed, moving his hand to rest on your shoulder once again. Unlike before, however, he fondly ran his thumb over the fabric of your shirt.

As your eyes adjusted to the brightness around you the shades of green in the room became clearer. Scrunching your eyebrows together, you started, “Huh? Where am-”

Before you could finish he let out a laugh, bringing his face closer to yours, “Wait, are you gonna ask ‘who am I?’ and ‘where am I?’ Well, you’re definitely (y/n) (l/n), and this place is… I guess, hell.”

“Hell?” you asked, sitting up and pushing him aside. Surrounding you was thick greenery, but unlike what coated most of the school, this was purposeful. Covering the walls were various pictures of different insects, as well as a plethora of containers most likely holding just that. You stiffened at the sight, “Is this…?”

“Oh, you’re awake? You were knocked out for a lot longer than Shuichi was. This is the Ultimate Entomologist’s research lab,” A voice from behind you explained. Turning around, you saw the worried face of Tsumugi, as well as five other people trapped in the lab.

You pulled yourself up from the ground, a pain blooming from the side of your head. Letting out a hiss of pain, you placed your hand over the throbbing area, “Gonta’s lab? But… oh wait, I was attacked by Gonta, and then…”

“The same is true of the rest of us. We were all seized by Gonta and brought here,” Korekiyo explained, “Though you and Shuichi were the only ones to get knocked out.”

“Gonta apologized for that,” Kiibo added quickly, worried you would get upset, “Apparently he couldn’t slow down in time when he tried to grab you.”

You shook your head, though doing so made the painful throbbing worse. Gritting your teeth, you continued through the pain, “I’m not even worried about that, I’m just confused. Why did Gonta do this?”

“It’s because of that guy. He was provoked by… _him_ ,” Tsumugi replied, her voice wary as she pointed behind you.

Following her gaze, you almost laughed at who she was referring to. Kokichi flashed you a smile, his hands relaxing behind his head as he spoke, “There’s no use trying to escape. Gonta will just catch you again.” He let out a chuckle, “He’s so simple-minded. As soon as I told him that everyone who hates bugs was trying to get rid of them, he started crying and said that he would get you guys to love bugs, or something like that. And that’s why we’re all here! Welcome to the mandatory Insect Meet and Greet!”

Tsumugi narrowed her eyes at him, “You’re terrible, you tricked Gonta.”

“Isn't it great!? Only an evil supreme leader like me could do something so evil!” he exclaimed, “Oh, but the reason you’re all here is simple. I thought we could throw ourselves a little screening party with all our videos. With all of you here, exchanging our motive videos wouldn’t be that difficult at all. And I wanna see your videos, too, so I figured we could all binge-watch them together!”

Just as he said that, Gonta returned, holding both Himiko and Angie by the arm. He let them go as soon as the door closed, both looking around in confusion, “Thank you for waiting! Gonta brought Himiko and Angie!”

Angie deflated, disappointment flashing across her features, “Aw man, and I was just about to take a break, too. I just finished all the prepwork for the show.”

“What’s the meaning of this,” Himiko asked, a similar expression on her face.

Kokichi ignored them both, raising an eyebrow as he turned to Gonta, “Hey, are these the only ones you brought back from the gym?”

“Oh, Kirumi was at the gym but she told Gonta she was too busy,” He explained, “Sorry, not even Gonta is strong enough to overcome Kirumi.”

“Hm, well I guess at least one of you is worthy of being called an Ultimate. Welp, nothing we can do about her. Are the others still hiding somewhere?” Kokichi asked.

“Oh, Gonta saw Miu but… Gonta’s face got red hot. So, Gonta could not bring her. She used her… what did she call it? ‘Secret woman weapon’? And then- Anyway, this is enough people, right? Insect Meet and Greet is off to smashing start!” Gonta said, his eyes lighting up. You could see his gaze flashing towards the insect containers in excitement, causing your heart to race.

Kokichi surveyed the room and nodded, “Yeah, sure. This is good enough. We should move on to the main event, anyway. Now, Gonta, go ahead and teach them just how wonderful bugs are. I gotta run an errand, but I’ll be back. Don’t let any of them leave, alright?” His gaze flickered over to you, “Actually, scratch that. I’m taking (y/n) with me, so don’t let anyone _but_ her leave, ‘kay?”

“Wait, you’re leaving?” Shuichi asked, taking a protective step closer to you. It was obvious he was uneasy about you, or anyone for that matter, going with Kokichi, but you couldn’t be more relieved.

“Of course. Someone’s gotta break into your rooms to get the goods,” he explained, mimicking Shuichi and moving closer to you as well, “Lock picking is a cinch for someone like me, and (y/n) can go into the girls rooms for me. Now let’s see, it’s exactly nine p.m. right now. We should be back by nighttime. Welp, have fun with the bugs ‘till then!”

With that, he grabbed your arm before anyone could object and tugged you out of the classroom, soundly shutting the door behind him. Instead of taking off like you expected him to, he stood with his back to the door, prompting you to do the same. He held a finger up to his lips, and seconds later several screams ripped through the silence. The fluttering of a multitude of wings accompanied it, sending a shiver up your spine. Oh how glad you were to be with Kokichi.

His hand moved from your arm to intertwine with yours, kicking off from the door and starting down the hall. He let out a chuckle as you fell into step beside him, “Aren’t you happy you’re dating me? I honestly could do this alone, but I know how freaked out you get over bugs so I decided to spare you from that whole mess. Originally, I was going to ask Gonta not to get you at all, but I thought that would look even more suspicious.” He paused for a moment, gazing at you with sincerity, “Speaking of that, how’s your head feeling?”

“Oh, my head?” you asked. You had completely forgotten about the pain that bloomed from your temple earlier, the situation providing you a distraction from it. But fortunately for you, it had seemed to go away during that time, “I think I’m alright, it doesn’t hurt anymore.”

He stopped, reaching over and brushing a lock of hair behind your ear. His eyebrows scrunched together at the sight of your temple, gently running his thumb over the area, “You’re starting to bruise.”

“I’m fine, I’ll just tell people I got into a fight. Then they’ll think I’m cool,” you joked, waving his hand away.

“Oh, they’ll never think you’re cool, (y/n). Why would they believe something that isn’t true?” he shot back, his look of sincerity traded for one more mischievous.

Instead of retorting you rolled your eyes and continued your walk back to the dorms, him catching up soon after. Unlike before, this time he wrapped his arm around your waist, keeping you close. Just the action alone was enough to bring you nostalgia, the feeling of him so near sending your mind back before you were plunged into this game. At your old high school he was always very affectionate, even before you were in a relationship.

Letting out a sigh, you leaned your head on his shoulder, “Do you remember the day I confessed to you?”

“Wait, you confessed to me!? When did that happen?” he teased, a smirk tugging at his lips as he pressed a chaste kiss to your cheek, “Of course, that’s just a lie. How could I forget that flustered face of yours? You were blushing so much, it was adorable.”

You playfully nudged him, “Shut up, you weren’t any better! When I told you how I felt, your entire face went red!”

“Nope, I don’t remember that happening. I do, however, remember that little speech you gave me. What did you say again? Something along the lines of, ‘I’ve liked you for the longest time, Kokichi! Every time I think of you my heart starts fluttering-’”

“Hey, I never said something as cliche as that!”

“Are you sure? ‘Cause that’s what I heard. It’s clear as day in my mind; you pulled me into a classroom one day after school and confessed your feelings in the light of the sunset. And I gracefully accepted, sweeping you of your feet.”

“What is this, some kind of shoujo anime? Did I also leave a love letter in your shoe locker? Dot all my ‘I’s with hearts?” you asked, letting out a giggle as you leaned in closer to him, “I miss those days, though. I never thought we’d have to hide our relationship. It kinda makes me regret not taking advantage of PDA while I still could.”

He paused, turning to face you as he tugged you closer. With a grin he pressed a quick kiss to your lips, pulling away before you had time to react, “What? Do you miss when I used to walk you to class?” His lips met yours again, more passionate this time, “How we used to hold hands in the hallway?” Another kiss. He began to lead you backwards, chuckling at your surprise, “When we would skip class and sneak into the bathrooms… alone?”

He had you pinned against the wall, his hands holding your wrists above your head. His lips ghosted over yours as he pressed his knee between your legs, voice lowing to a whisper, “Does this feel familiar?”

“You know I usually wouldn’t be opposed to this,” you started, gasping as his lips found their way to your neck, his leg pressing harder at the area between yours, “But don’t we still have to steal those motive videos? You promised the others we’d be back by nighttime…”

His teeth gently bit down on the exposed skin of your collarbone, causing your breathing to hitch. There was no doubt it was going to leave a mark, but that was exactly what he wanted. Letting go of your wrists, he ran his hands down your body, allowing one to trail underneath your shirt, “They can wait a bit longer, it’s not going to kill them. Or… do you want me to stop? ‘Cause I will, if that’s what you really want.”

He began to pull away, a teasing smirk on his lips, but you just tugged him closer. Your mind was in a haze, eyes half-lidded as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, “No, don’t.”

“Alright, anything for my princess,” he purred, kissing you once more. This time it was rougher, almost needy, as your hands found their way to his hair, tangling in his long violet locks. You playfully gave his hair a gentle tug, eliciting a quiet moan from his lips. In response, his free hand traced downwards, teasingly rubbing at your inner thigh.

All of the sudden he pulled away, raising an eyebrow as he looked around in confusion. You opened your mouth to ask what was wrong, though he placed his finger over your lips to prevent you from speaking, “I think I hear someone coming.”

As if on cue, the sound of heels clicked against the stone floor resonated throughout the dark hallway. Kokichi jumped back, grabbing the sleeve of your shirt and pulling you after him, pretending to walk down the hallway as if nothing had ever happened. You followed suit, straightening out your clothes before you could be met with the stranger.

As the heels got louder, the outline of the stranger became more clear. A flowy dress, accompanied by short hair and dark gloves. Kirumi. She appeared to notice the two of you as well, narrowing her eyes and quickening her pace. You stiffened, almost positive you had been caught red-handed.

“What exactly are you two doing out here this late?” She asked as she approached you, her expression stern, “It’s nearly nighttime, what kind of business do you have on the second floor at this hour?”

The way she spoke, it was almost as if she was one of your teachers as opposed to your peer. You could feel yourself shying away from her cold stare, stuttering out an excuse, “Um, we were just-”

“Making out. Yeah we were totally going at it, tongues and all,” Kokichi interrupted, his face unreadable. The way he said it, you couldn’t help but give him credit. Though it was the truth, his tone made it sound like an obvious lie, one fabricated by him just for fun. It was clever, though you’d never admit it out loud.

Kirumi, however, wasn’t impressed. She took a step closer, giving you a glare that sent shivers down your spine, “No, what were you _really_ doing? It is completely irresponsible to be wandering around the academy this late, especially considering the circumstances.”

“I told you what we were doing, or did you think it was a lie? I guess there’s no way to know for sure, now is there?” he said, a grin spreading over his features, “Well, we’re gonna have to get going. Got more places to make out at, you know? See ya!”

Without waiting for a response he took off, you close in tow. Together you bounded down the stairs, rushing through the vacant corridors until you reached the entrance hall, stopping for a moment to catch your breath. No footsteps could be heard from around you, thankfully Kirumi hadn’t followed. With a shared sigh of relief the two of you made your way outside, starting towards the dormitories like you had originally planned to.

From there, getting the motive videos was easy. You already had both of yours in the backpack you had slung around your shoulders, so the only thing you needed to do was get the others. From experience you knew how skilled Kokichi was at picking locks, watching him open each door with ease. After he did so, he’d run in and grab the tablet, placing it in your backpack with the others for safekeeping.

In all, it only took around a half an hour to retrieve them all, though during that time the nighttime announcement had already been made. A part of you felt guilty for leaving the others in the Insect Meet and Greet for that long, but you were mostly relieved you didn’t have to experience it for yourself. Though it was selfish, for you, the longer you were away from bugs, the better. To the point where after Kokichi had retrieved the last video, you nearly requested to be left behind, the thought of all those insects swarming around making your stomach drop.

In the end you decided not to abandon your classmates, reluctantly returning to Gonta’s lab. As soon as you reached the door you could feel your heart begin to race, hearing the fluttering of the many different insects still flying around through the air. Bracing yourself, you watched as Kokichi pushed open the doors, clenching your fist as you followed him inside.

It seemed as if your classmates had given up, laying on the floor with tired eyes, too fatigued to fight back. Kokichi surveyed the area, visibly tensing up at the sight, “There are bugs everywhere! How nast- I mean, how nice!”

“Oh, you both came back! Come, we have fun! We’re gonna have so much fun!” Gonta exclaimed, his face lighting up.

Kokichi scrunched up his nose, dodging an insect that flew near his face, “You know, as much as I’d love to do that, maybe we should call it a day, hm? The bugs look really tired, and a gentleman knows to do things in moderation, you know? So you clean up while I take care of business with the others.”

Gonta nodded in compliance, and with that Kokichi turned to the others, placing his hands behind his head nonchalantly, “You guys okay? You all look like drowned sewer rats.”

“That’s because you’re late! You said you’d be back by nighttime, but it’s almost eleven p.m. now,” Tsumugi said, eyebrows furrowing in annoyance.

Kokichi just let out a laugh, gesturing for you to take off your backpack. Obliging, you handed it over to him, allowing him to unzip it and pull out a few of the tablets, “Sorry, we ran into an unexpected snafu. But look, Kubs Pads! I even got the pads belonging to the people who aren’t here! Now everyone can watch their motive video!”

“We said we don’t want to,” Tsumugi snapped.

“Well, it’s late and I’m getting sleepy! So let’s start already,” He insisted, switching on the first one in his hand. Peering over his shoulder, you watched as it played for a moment, only to be turned off a second later. No one else seemed to notice, but you could tell it was his own.

Before he could play a different one, Kiibo stepped forward, “That’s it! I won’t let you do as you please! I didn’t want to use this unless I absolutely had to- it eats up a lot of my electricity -but that’s neither here nor there! I will stop you right here, right now!”

His eyes locked with Kokichi’s, a dark glare gracing his features. His hand moved upwards, slowly reaching behind his ear to spin a mechanical dial. As he did so, various parts of his body began to glow, emitting a bright blue light throughout the room. After a moment, a high pitched squeaking sound came from the dial, similar to that of a tape being rewinded.

“Okay, right… there!” Kiibo said, pushing his palm against the dial. The squeaking stopped, instead being replaced with a very familiar voice.

“There’s no use trying to escape, Gonta will just catch you again. He’s so simple-minded. As soon as I told him that everyone who hates bugs was trying to get rid of them, he started crying and said that he would get you guys to love bugs, or something like that.”

With that, Kiibo stopped the recording, looking up with a proud face, “So, what do you think!? You just saw my audio recording function for the first time!”

“Kokichi. What do you mean? Do you… not like bugs?” Gonta asked, his face filled with fury, “You say we would get them to understand how amazing bugs are. Was that a lie?”

You took a step away from Kokichi, watching as he looked at his nails, seemingly not concerned, “I wouldn’t lie to you. I love bugs from the bottom of my heart!”

“Oh, so it's not a lie. Then Gonta is happy. Let’s have fun with bugs all night! Who wants to pet more bugs!?” Gonta exclaimed.

Kokichi’s face went stark white as Gonta moved to the lines of containers that filled the wall, prepared to open them at any minute. Before he could, Kiibo yelled out, “We must run while we still can! Someone grab the Kubs Pads and let’s get out of here!”

Without a second thought Tenko grabbed your backpack from Kokichi’s arms, bolting out of the room with the rest of you following shortly after. You stood frozen for a moment, but thankfully Shuchi pulled you out of your daze, grasping the sleeve of your shirt and tugging you after him. Stumbling for a moment, you quickly gained speed and made it out, the doors slamming shut a moment after.

As you steadied your breathing you braced your hands on your knees, the hall so quiet you could hear the muffled screaming coming from Kokichi inside. A twinge of pity went through you, but you kept it internalized. Though he was your boyfriend, you had to admit it was pretty comical.

Once everyone caught their breath Tenko was the first to speak, holding up your backpack curiously, “So, how do we return these Kubs Pads back to their rightful owners?”

“Hm, if only the Monokubs were here. I’m sure they’d help us,” Angie mused.

As if on cue, Monodam appeared before you alone. It was a strange sight, being as he was usually accompanied by all the other Monokubs, though he quickly cleared it up, noticing your confused expressions, “THE-OTHERS-ARE-ASLEEP. IF-YOU-NEED-SOMETHING-I-CAN-HELP-YOU.”

“Um, it's about the Kubs Pads. Kokichi brought them to us and…” Shuichi trailed off, gesturing to the backpack in Tenko’s arms.

“I-SIMPLY-NEED-TO-RETURN-THEM. I-WILL-RETURN-EACH-ONE-TO-YOUR-RESPECTIVE-ROOMS, YOU-BASTARDS,” He responded, taking the backpack before anyone could object and disappearing without a trace.

Shuichi took a step back, shaking his head, “Well, that was abrupt. Should we go back to our dorms? It’s way past nighttime.”

“That’s true! We have the magic show tomorrow morning!” Angie exclaimed, letting out her signature laugh, “We didn’t have time to do a rehearsal, but Atua is telling me it will be a divine show! We’ll be waiting for you to come watch!”

“Yeah definitely, I can’t wait!” you said, flashing a smile to the two girls. You had to admit, seeing a magic show performed by the Ultimate Magician would most definitely be interesting, and you’d be lying if you said you weren’t excited.

With a few final words everyone went off to bed, filled with fatigue from the long day and the night your boyfriend had put them through. As you walked, you noticed the excited chatter from Angie and Himiko behind you, undoubtedly about the show, and the occasional grumble coming from Tenko. You let out a chuckle, the poor girls crush was clear as day. It was cute, in a way, reminding you of how you used behave around Kokichi before your relationship.

Everyone parted once inside the dorms, going off to their respective rooms with a chaste “goodnight”. As soon as you got inside you flopped down in your bed, head filled with enthusiasm for the next morning as you felt your eyes flutter closed from exhaustion. Finally, everyone would have a fun distraction from this killing game.

 

* * *

 

You couldn’t be more wrong.

The next morning as you stood in the gym, nervously chatting with Shuichi about the extremity of the trick Himiko was performing, you witnessed something that made you wish you had stayed in your dorm.

As floating in the tank where Himiko had once been was Ryoma. Limp. Lifeless. Unresisting as the piranhas that surrounded him feasted on his flesh, showing no mercy until his body was just bones.

That morning, you screamed.

 

_Fourteen/Seventeen_


	5. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aye, guess who's no longer sick!! But anyways, returning back to school after a week of being out freaking sucks, but at least I can still work on this fic in my freetime!! I'm so pumped for the future chapters, so just be prepared 'cause you are in for a freaking roller coaster ride. Legit I was thinking about the seventh chapter and almost started crying, so have fun!!!

It was after that second trial when your mind began to shut down.

Brutal. That’s the only word you had to describe the execution that played before your eyes. You couldn’t watch. You didn’t want to watch. But your eyes followed her every move, staring as her body withered into nothing but a corpse. Hands that once handled the most delicate of tasks raw and bloody, thorns embedded in the formerly soft flesh of her palms. Saws tore apart her clothes, tore apart her skin leaving deep crimson lacerations in their place.

In the end, her body was unrecognizable, strewn onto the ground in a mess of oddly contorted limbs as a pool of blood silhouetted her misshapen form. It wasn’t like Kaede. With Kaede, you didn’t have to view the reality of her execution, her corpse hidden under the scarlet-stained top of a grand piano. But Kirumi was right in front of you, pain still etched onto her features. Without realizing it, your knees buckled from under you.

Before you hit the ground you could feel a pair of arms wrap tightly around your waist, pulling you back up. Your legs were unsteady, shaking under your weight, though the person continued to support your trembling form. After a moment you could hear their voice behind you, whispering into your ear, “Focus on something else. Once you take your mind away from her, you’ll calm down.”

The voice was feminine, though sharp at the edges. Her tone was enough to make you oblige, shifting your gaze to the floor as you tried to stand on your own, her strong grip leaving your torso soon after. Running a hand through your hair, you looked behind you, being met with the cold face of Maki observing you carefully. Eyes widening, you felt a wave of shyness go through you, “Oh, thank you for that. I’m sorry for troubling you.”

“It’s fine.”

Her reply was blunt, though not rude or hostile. The few times you heard her speak at the academy it had been in the same manner, brief and to the point. You figured it was just her personality, and a part of you respected her for it.

With a nod Maki returned to where she’d been before, crossing her arms in discomfort at the situation. Reluctantly you turned to the others, seeing as each of them stood in an equally distressed state. Most were frozen to their spots, faces pallid and expressions showing pure dismay as they stared ahead, the same thought going through each of their minds. Who would be next?

“I can’t take this anymore, even Kirumi was killed so brutally…” Kokichi trailed off, his eyes dark as they met yours. Vulnerability flashed across his features for a moment, masked just as quickly with their usual neutrality.

Himiko let out a sniff as tears ran down her cheeks, wiping her face with the sleeve of her jacket, “Am I gonna end up like that too?”

“I won’t let that happen, Himiko! I’ll protect you no matter what!” Tenko exclaimed, her voice growing weaker as she continued, “I’ll protect you, no matter what… but I don’t wanna do this anymore either. Please, let’s just stop this killing game. I don’t care if we stay trapped here forever.”

Angie appeared unfazed at a quick glance, though the smile she wore on her lips was forced, “Oh? Isn’t that what Atua said? All desire, even your desire to escape this place, can corrupt you beyond redemption.”

“It’s Monokuma who is corrupt, he’s the one who distributed the motive videos,” Korekiyo said, “They were more dangerous than we thought, to have driven Kirumi that far. What worries me is, as long as we’re trapped here, we don’t know what’s true or false.”

“That must be why Kirumi didn’t want to show the videos,” Shuichi started, his eyebrows furrowing in consideration, “She thought that if everyone felt the same murderous rage that she did, this killing game would be pure chaos. She wanted to stop it.”

“If that’s the case, then we really shouldn’t show our videos to each other!” Kokichi mused, tone bored and lighthearted as he checked his nails.

Kiibo took a step closer to him, eyes narrowed in a glare, “That was our consensus from the beginning. Not including you, of course.”

“I had assumed Kokichi would try to show us our videos to get under our skin. But that did not come to pass. What, I wonder, were his intentions?,” Korekiyo asked.

“Huh? I’d never do anything like that. I’m still thinking about what Kirumi said. You know, how she remembered her motive after watching the video. What she was saying, it was strange, though it didn’t sound like a lie at all,” He explained, rolling his eyes, “And I would know, I am an expert.”

Angie put her finger to her chin, “Maybe the videos had the properties of a flashback light, if it made her remember.”

“But still, how could Kirumi remember something she never should have forgotten? Serving the entire nation seems too important to just forget,” Shuichi said, “Maybe we all have motives to kill that we’ll remember by watching our videos, and if that’s the case, maybe it’s for the best that we don’t watch them at all. As long as we don’t see the videos, we won't know our motives.”

Kaito nodded, “Yeah, now I’m convinced. It’s probably for the best. Those motive videos would mess us up, it’s better if we just believe in each other.”

“That’s right! It’s best that we not remember our motives, for everyone's sake!” Kokichi exclaimed, his eyes meeting yours showing clear confusion. You both saw yours, you both remembered your motives, but why didn’t you have a similar experience as Kirumi?

Dismissing the thought, you feigned a look of exasperation, “Hearing you talk about ‘everyone’s sake’ is probably the worst lie I’ve heard from you yet.”

“How rude, (y/n), I’m always doing stuff for everyone’s sake,” Kokichi pouted, sticking out his lower lip like a child, “I’m sure nobody believes me when I say stuff like that though, so I’ll just keep lying. But maybe seeing Kirumi’s final moments has made me change my views. She tried to escape until the very end, running away to live might not be a bad idea.”

Kaito averted his eyes to the ground in defeat, “Maybe facing the truth isn’t enough. It’s okay to run sometimes, you just gotta win in the end. That’s all you gotta do…”

With that, a silence fell throughout the room before everyone disbanded, taking in the events that occured within the last few hours. You had lost two more classmates, both deaths being equally as brutal in their own ways. You witnessed the true desperation from someone you thought to be calm and headstrong. And you, for the first time, felt your facade break in front of everyone from the horrors of this game.

The elevator ride up from the courtroom felt empty, a heavy air settling over your shoulders. Four people were gone, never to return again. Shifting in your place, you hugged your arms close to your body and pushed those thoughts to the back of your mind, instead focusing on the yawn that came from your lips. It was hard to tell how long you had been down below the shrine, though the way your eyelids seemed to droop from fatigue was enough to guess.

As soon as everyone stepped out of the lift a bad feeling had bloomed in the pit of your stomach, one that wasn’t there before. Something was going to happen, there was no doubt in your mind. The only question now, was what? Sticking close to Kokichi, you followed everyone as they dispersed throughout the shine, Kiibo being the first to speak since you left the courtroom, “For now, we should rest. To me, that seems the most rational course of action.”

Kaito pulled his jacket closer to him as a cool breeze ran through the air, “Yeah, let’s head back already. It’s cold and I’m wiped out.”

“Oh, hold on!” Kokichi called out, stopping those who had began to leave, “I have to tell you guys something. It won’t take that long, so just listen to what I have to say.”

Murmurs of reluctant agreements rang throughout the area, most grumbling about their desire to sleep, but Kokichi continued anyways, “Everyone seems to be treating me like some kinda compulsive liar, but that’s ridiculous! There’s a way worse liar than me in our group!”

You quirked an eyebrow, a smirk pulling at the corners of your lips, “A liar worse than _you_?”

He went silent, the grin that grew on his face mimicking yours. Unlike the playful one that graced you features, however, his was sinister, “...I’m talking about Maki.”

“What?” the girl in question asked sharply, shoulders tensing at the accusation.

“You admitted it during the class trial, remember?” he taunted, resting his hands behind his head, “Ryoma wanted you to show him his motive video because he was looking for a reason to live, but that wasn’t the whole story. Ryoma was blackmailing you, wasn’t he, Maki? He just so happened to discover your true identity, didn’t he? That’s why you didn’t want us to know you met with him, to keep it a secret.”

Kaito took a step back in confusion, “Why, you… What shit are you making up now? Maki’s true identity? What-”

Kokichi let out a laugh at his frustration, “You’ll know soon enough. To be completely honest, I’ve known Maki’s true identity this whole time.”

In an instant she was on him, a deadly aura surrounding her as her hand clasped around his throat, tightening over his windpipe. Letting out a strangled gasp, he clawed at her hands as he tried to escape her grip, but it proved to be useless. Without even thinking you shot forward, a pair of arms holding you back before you could reach Kokichi. The lavender fabric from one of their sleeves made it easy to identify your captor as Kaito, his hold on you unrelenting. Desperately you tried to free yourself, your voice frantic as you struggled, “Hey! Let him go!”

Kokichi paid no attention to you, “You know… this is an… interesting turn of events. But… would you really… kill me in front of everyone?” he asked, his his breathing growing weaker by the second, “Yeah… you could probably… snap my neck like a twig right now… But that’s… not your style. You would rather… kill from the shadows.”

“Hey, Maki! What the hell is going on?” Kaito yelled, his voice loud in your ear as he held you tight, no intention on letting you go anytime soon.

“Right… Miss Ultimate Assassin?” Kokichi choked out, letting out a gasp as she dropped him hard against the pavement, allowing his small form to collapse onto the ground with a painful thud. In that moment Kaito loosened his grip on your arms in shock, allowing for you to break free and rush to his side.

Without another word Maki turned on her heel, striding out of the shrine before anyone could stop her. The aura that followed her was deadly, one you didn’t want to cross. It was hard to imagine that less than an hour ago she had calmed you down, even holding you for a moment until you were stable. Now, she was like a completely different person. Physically she still appeared just as she did before, but as she walked away you noticed how her shoulders relaxed for what seemed to be the first time since you entered the game.

The rest of the class followed after her, paranoid whispers breaking out amongst them as they made their way back to the dorms. However, you stayed behind, crouched on the ground beside Kokichi as he let out cough, face distorting in pain as he ran his fingers over his abused windpipe. Shaking his head, he turned to you, voice rough as he spoke, “You know, that little stunt you pulled just made us even more suspicious.”

“Do you really think I care about that right now?” you asked, running your hand over his back, “You nearly got choked to death by Maki, the last thing on my mind is keeping our relationship a secret.”

He pushed your hand away, pulling himself up from the ground, “If anything that should’ve made you more cautious. I just majorly pissed off the Ultimate Assassin, if she finds out about us there’s no doubt in my mind that she’ll go after you as well. People like her don’t hesitate when it comes to killing someone.”

You mimicked his actions, standing so that you were eye to eye. Bitterly, you crossed your arms in defiance, “You know, for once in you life you need to stop worrying about me. I’m not a child, I don’t need you to hold my hand and try to protect me through this. I can fend for myself, I’m not some helpless damsel in distress!”

“I know. I know you can protect yourself, but not against a fucking assassin, (y/n). When will you get it through your head that you could die at any moment in here!?” he asked, grabbing your shoulders, “I doesn’t matter how strong or weak you are. Anyone could be next, and damn it, I don’t want it to be you.”

Tears welled up in the corners of your eyes as your voice began to crack, “Do you think I don’t know that? I’m terrified, okay? I’m well aware that I could be the next to die, but I know you could be too. So instead of trying so hard to protect me, worry about yourself for once.”

“You know I can’t when your life is in danger as well,” he said weakly, pulling you into an embrace. His tone was a lot softer than before as he buried his face in your shoulder, “Let me be selfish, just this once.”

You cracked a feeble grin, stroking his hair as you returned the hug, “You’re always selfish, but I guess it can’t be helped. I know you, even if I said no you wouldn’t listen.”

“That’s true. God, I can’t even lie to you anymore; you see right through me (y/n),” he mused, lifting his head up to meet your face. His eyes were bloodshot, though a genuine smile graced his lips endearingly.

Intertwining your fingers with his, you motioned towards the exit of the shrine, “Come on, you little liar. Let’s go back to our dorms already.”

“Hm, I think I’m gonna stay in yours tonight, actually,” he said, his tone feigning one of innocence, despite the intentions behind the words he spoke, “You know, you still haven’t apologized for leaving me all alone after the Insect Meet and Greet, traitor. I was so considerate and you betrayed me.”

“Alright, fine. But however shall I make it up to you?” you teased, rolling your eyes as you began to lead him towards to dormitories.

He pulled his hand from yours, instead wrapping his arm securely around your waist, “I think you know how.”

Your cheeks flushed a light shade of pink from his boldness, averting your eyes to the ground. Normally you’d shoot back a witty retort, but any comeback you had got caught in your throat. You knew for a fact where this was going to lead, and so did he. Smirking at your embarrassed state, his hand traveled down past your hip, stopping to grab your ass.

With a surprised gasp you hit him on the arm, your face now a bright shade of red, “Kokichi! We’re in public, you can’t do shit like that in public!”

“It’s not like anybody saw, everyone’s in their dorms,” he reasoned, leaning over to press a kiss to your lips, passionate and needy. After a moment he pulled away, grabbing your hand in his, “Now come on, I’m getting impatient.”

Before you could respond he tugged you towards the dorms, the laugh he let out filled with mischief and anticipation. Your heart sped up when he looked back at you, biting his lip as he opened the door to your room, throwing you onto the bed the moment it closed. This was going to be a long night, you thought.

At least the rooms were soundproof.

 

_‘I had that dream again…’_

_Your finger hovered over the send button as you read over the message, a feeling of hesitation clouding your mind. It wasn’t the first time you’ve done this, not by a longshot, though every time you texted him so late guilt would eat you alive. He needed his sleep well more than you needed yours, but even so he never failed to reply at times like this. You had asked him before why that was, but he’d always give you the same answer. It was a secret._

_Curling up under your sheets, your thumb came down on the send button. You watched as the message popped up on your side of the screen in a small green bubble, only moments later a second one appearing in grey. Always so quick to respond, he was._

_‘Does your window have a screen?’_

_Scrunching up your eyebrows in confusion, you began to type._

_‘Um, no. Why?’_

_‘Good. I’m coming over.’_

_You shot up in your bed, eyes wide at the message. It was one in the morning, your parents were asleep just upstairs. Did he know how much trouble you’d get into if they caught him? Frantically, you texted back._

_‘Kichi, don’t you fucking dare. My parents aren’t as laid back as yours, they’d kill us both without hesitating.’_

_‘Too late, I’m already on my bike. I’ll be there in like five minutes, kay?’_

_You let out a groan, why did he have to be so difficult?_

_‘No, not kay. This is definitely not “kay”. Kokichi I swear to god if you get me in trouble I will personally slaughter you. My mom already thinks we’re fucking, I don’t want to give her any more of a reason to suspect that.’_

_‘Wait, we’re not fucking???’_

_‘You wish we were. Aren’t you supposed to be riding your bike? How are you texting me?’_

_‘No hands, baby. I’ve got skill, jealous?’_

_‘Very.’_

_Laying down on your back, you scrolled through Instagram as you waited for a reply, so many thoughts racing through your mind as you did so. Usually he would just text you until you fell asleep, or call you if it was severe. Never once did he offer to come over this late. Turning around in your bed, your phone lit up with a reply._

_‘Open the window.’_

_Reluctantly, you pulled yourself up and crossed the room, throwing back the curtains to reveal the face of Kokichi pressed against the glass, a wicked grin plastered across his features. You jumped back at the sight, causing him to remove himself and let out a laugh at your reaction. Shaking your head, you opened the window, “Be quiet. Like I said before, everyone’s sleeping.”_

_“I know, I know, I’ll be silent as a mouse. This isn’t my first time sneaking into a girls house, you know,” he joked, holding onto your arm to steady himself as he climbed through the window, closing it silently behind him._

_You rolled your eyes, taking a seat at the edge of the bed, “Oh right, how could I forget? You’re a total_ _womanizer.”_

_“Of course, with a face like this the ladies come crawling after me,” he said, sitting beside you with a stifled chuckle. He was quiet for a moment as he placed a hand on your back, rubbing it soothingly, “So, was it the same dream as always?”_

_You nodded, leaning into his touch, “Yeah, but this time… this time she actually…”_

_His hand moved to wrap around your shoulders, pulling you into a side embrace as tears began to pool in the corners of your eyes, “Shh, it’s okay. You don’t have to talk about it, alright? If you want, I can distract you. Talk about all my womanizing adventures.”_

_“So you’ll be talking about nothing?” you teased, your voice low and scratchy as you rested your head on his shoulder, “No, but I think I’ll talk about it. You know I usually feel better when I do.”_

_“Alright, so how did it start off?”_

_You took a deep breath, “Well, it was the same as always. I’m alone in a room with this person and I can’t see her face, it’s like she’s just a silhouette. Suddenly I started to get really scared, even though neither of us said anything, and as I tried to leave she pinned me down. I struggled and struggled, but she brought out a knife. She… she stabbed me this time. I didn’t wake up before she did it like I usually do.”_

_You were crying now, the tears running down your cheeks in a steady stream as you hands began to shake. He noticed, using his thumbs to wipe your face before bringing you into a hug, stroking your hair, “Hey, it was just a dream. You’re alright, I’m here now and I won’t let anyone hurt you. I swear to god, I’m gonna kick that girls ass.”_

_“She’s not even real,” you giggled, burying your face into his chest. Your voice was muffled by the fabric of his shirt as you continued, “I think you’re gonna have a pretty hard time beating up someone in my dreams.”_

_“Maybe so, but that’s not gonna stop me. No one messes with my best friend but me.”_

_You let out another laugh, “Wow, I feel so honored.”_

_“You should,” he said, pulling away, “Now, if you’re feeling better you should get some sleep; I know I’m exhausted. Hey… wanna see if we can both fit on your tiny-ass bed?”_

_“Kokichi, go home!”_

 

The next day was a rollercoaster for everyone. Unlike every other day beforehand, once the morning announcement went off everyone met in Maki’s research lab, though the person in question had failed to show up. You didn’t blame her, you would stay in your dorm as well if your peers found out your talent was murdering people without getting caught.

In the end, the Monokubs had given Shuichi the keys to unlocking new areas of the school, leaving the rest of the students to their own devices. Most scattered, searching around for a possible exit or simply returning to their dorms to relax, while others opted to join Shuichi, helping him unlock new floors and labs. Deciding to tag along with the latter group, you stayed to the outside of everyone, simply watching as they revealed new areas.

Nothing really caught your attention until the staircase to the fourth floor was revealed, leading to a dark corridor. The whole place gave you bad vibes, goosebumps forming on your arms as you hugged them close to your body, warily starting down the hall with a slight curiosity. It reminded you of a horror movie, with it’s low lighting and old structural vibe to it.

According to the map in your student handbook, three new research labs had opened up, each labeled with a small symbol. The first two you laid eyes on didn’t catch your attention, obviously meant for those you weren’t close to, though the third made your heart stop. Over top of the rectangular shape was a small drawing of a watch. A pocket watch.

Without even bidding the group goodbye, you silently parted from them in search of the mysterious room, a newfound determination in your stride. It had to be yours, there was no doubt about it, but just what would be in it? Usually when you worked on your talent you didn’t need much, so what on Earth would they keep in a lab dedicated to it? You pondered the possibilities as you winded through the halls, making sure to keep an eye out for any doors that appeared out of place.

Finally, after what felt like hours of searching, you found it near the end of the floor. A wooden door stood elegantly against the weathered stone wall, giving off a warm vibe that seemed to draw you in. Curiously, you reached for the silver door knob, pulling it open to reveal what would be your research lab.

The first thing you noticed was how simple it was. There was nothing fancy or stereotypical, nothing that would even suggest to anyone except for yourself that this was your research lab. But you knew, from the neutral sand-colored walls to the cozy furniture placed nicely around the area. It was almost an exact replica to the room in your home you used for hypnotherapy, albeit for a small stage that sat at the far end, most likely used to prepare for shows.

“How did they… how did they know?” you mused, making your way up to a mirror opposite of the door, stopping just before the desk that sat below it. The last time you looked into this mirror had been so long ago, or so it felt. Lifting a hand up to your hair, you allowed your fingers to run through the locks before letting them fall back down to frame your face. It had gotten longer.

Averting your attention away from your reflection, you instead looked down to open the drawer at the front of the desk before you. Sitting inside was a wooden incense burner, accompanied by a small lighter as well as a few packets of your favorite scents. They even got that right. Without even thinking you began to set it up, placing a stick of incense in the holder and reaching to light the end. Before you could, however, a movement at the corner of the mirror caught your attention, a swift flash of blue near the entrance of your lab. With a furrowed brow you turned, jumping back at the sight of Shuichi standing in the doorway, watching you curiously.

His expression shifted to one of shock at being caught, bashfully apologizing, “Oh, sorry for scaring you. I saw this on the map and wanted to check it out, but I guess you found it before me. So, this is your lab?”

“Yeah, it’s pretty nice, right?” you said, placing the lighter down on the drawer before moving to take a seat on one of the couches, resting your head against the back, “Feels like home. Literally. Somehow they made this look exactly like one of the rooms in my house.”

“Really!? How would they even be able to do something like that?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow as he moved to sit beside you.

You shrugged your shoulders, “No clue. It’s kinda creepy… no, _really_ creepy, but it’s comforting in a way. Call me crazy, but I guess it helps me with my homesickness, knowing there’s somewhere here that’s made for me. Somewhere that’s like home, you know?”

“You’re not crazy, I understand what you mean. I think I’d be pretty happy if I found a place like this for me. I think it’d help keep me sane in this game,” he assured you, glancing around the room once again, “This is different from how I imagined it would be, though. I thought Monokuma would make it more flashy like he did with the others.”

“I’m glad he didn’t, this is a lot more accurate to what I actually do. Most of the time when I’m not doing shows, I use my talent for hypnotherapy. I’d say I do that more than performing, to be completely honest,” you explained.

He seemed impressed, a faint smile tugging at his lips, “I’m guessing you like helping people, then?”

“Of course. I mean, it’s amusing using my talent for shows, making people pretend they’re airplanes and all that jazz, but I mostly prefer to stay out of the spotlight. Take a step back and use it to benefit others,” you said, placing your hands behind your head, “I’m not trying to sound all noble or anything, it’s just rewarding to know you did something right. You understand what that feels like, right?”

He nodded, “Yeah, that’s one of the reasons I like being a detective, but even that can have its downsides too. There’s a reason I used to wear that hat all the time, a reason why I never considered myself a good detective, but Kaede and Kaito helped me with my confidence. And of course, you did too.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, don’t you remember our first day here?” he asked, letting out a soft chuckle at your confused expression, “You nearly yelled at me when I started to get insecure, saying I had no reason to be. It may not have been much, but it did help.”

You were taken back, “Really? That… makes me happy. Back then I didn’t really think what I said would make much of a difference. I’m glad it did.”

“So am I,” he said, a silence falling over you two shortly after. It was comfortable, like that between two close friends, though after a minute you could see him shifting in his seat in unease. Before you could ask what was wrong he turned to you, meeting your eyes briefly as he spoke, “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Go ahead,” you prompted, feeling your heart speed up. Every time you heard those words you could feel yourself grow anxious, no matter who it was from. The same question would always run through your mind, just what did they want to know?

“You know the whole thing that happened with Maki last night?” he asked, to which you gave a nod, “Well, after everyone left I decided to go back to the shrine because I knew we left you in there with Kokichi. But when I got there, before I could go inside, I heard you two arguing. I just wanted to know if you were alright.”

You widened your eyes, trying to hide the panic in your voice as you replied, “Oh, that? It was nothing, don’t even worry about it. But, um… how much did you hear, exactly?”

“None of it, I just heard your voices,” he said quickly, his eyes darting to the left to avoid your face. He wasn’t telling the truth.

“Shuichi, you’re a really obvious liar,” you mused, teasingly hitting him on the arm, “Quick tip, try to maintain eye contact the next time you tell a lie, it makes it less noticable. Now be honest, how much did you hear?”

He let out a sigh, holding his hands up in surrender, “Okay, fine. I think I showed up during the middle. You were telling him that you could protect yourself, and he yelled back that anyone could die in here. It was weird though, I don’t think I’ve ever head Kokichi sound _that_ genuine. What was the argument about, if you don’t mind me asking?”

You averted your gaze to the ground, biting your lip as you thought of what to do. Shuichi, you trusted him. Ever since you entered the game he’s done nothing but help everyone around him, including the act of befriending you. If you could tell anyone here, you could tell him.

“Okay, I’ll tell you, but you can’t let anyone else know. I’m trusting you with this, so don’t break it, alright?” you said, holding out your pinky towards him, “You gotta pinky-swear me you won’t tell a soul, this is a really big secret.”

He looked at your hand with an amused grin, linking his finger with yours a moment later, “You’re so childish sometimes, but alright. I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“Thanks. Well, here goes nothing. I guess… I guess it would be easier to show you,” you explained, sliding your backpack off your shoulder and unzipping it. Ever since you had received the motive videos you would carry yours with you, terrified of losing your last link to the outside world, your last link to your friends. Shuichi cast you a quizzical glance as you pulled the colorful Kubs Pad from your bag, placing it in his hands, “I got my own motive video, like Kirumi did. I want you to watch it.”

“What? Isn’t this personal? I don’t want to invade your privacy-”

You held a finger up to his lips, “Just watch it, Shuichi. Once you do, I’m pretty sure things will become a lot clearer to you.”

He seemed reluctant, but after a minute he finally agreed, “Alright, if you want me to that badly then I guess I can’t say no.”

With that he tapped the screen, watching as your name flashed across the display. Monokuma’s voice rang out from the speakers, though you blocked it out as you watched over Shuichi’s shoulder, tensing as soon as the picture changed. You and Kokichi stood in the center, his arm wrapped securely around your waist as two other girls stood beside you, everyone brandishing their own silly smile.

With a gasp he paused the video, staring down at the photograph for what felt like forever. His eyes seemed to be analyzing it, deciphering what it had to mean. Minutes passed before he finally spoke, “You and Kokichi… you knew each other? You knew each other outside of the game?”

“Yeah, we did. Well, it’s more than just ‘knowing’ each other, actually. I shouldn’t be telling you this, but we’re… together,” you revealed, feeling a pang of regret in your heart as soon as you did so, “Shit, you really can’t tell anyone I said this, especially him.”

“I won’t, it's alright. This is just a lot to process. I thought you were in a relationship, but I assumed it started after the game began. So, um, how long have you two known each other?” he asked, handing the tablet back to you.

Placing it gingerly in your bag, you scrunched your eyebrows together in thought, “Two years. We met during my first year of high school. I transferred in the middle of the semester, and we became really close since we were in the same class. I joined his organization shortly after, and we started dating a year later.”

“And then you two got put in here together. Jesus, that’s really messed up. I guess it explains a lot, though. Like why he took you with him during the Insect Meet and Greet,” he said, shooting you a teasing glare, “And left us all to suffer.”

You put your hands up in surrender, “I’m sorry, but I’m deathly afraid of bugs! Besides, at first I was just as confused as you were; he didn’t tell me about it at all. I had no idea what was going on, so I just went with it. In all honesty I was just happy to be away from those insects.”

“Yeah, I would be too,” he mused, letting out a sigh, “So, back on topic. I’m guessing you guys are trying to hide your relationship?”

“Yep, that was what the whole argument was about. He knows that the way he acts will piss some people off, so he wanted us to stay a secret so I don’t get hurt. Last night when I tried to defend him against Maki he got angry, saying that I made us look suspicious, and then I got angry back because I could care less about looking suspicious when he almost got choked to death, and then you heard the rest. We made up and everything, but sometimes he just gets on my nerves.”

“I’m not trying to be rude or anything, but then why are the two of you together?”

You let out a laugh, “You’re fine, I have a feeling the others would probably ask the same exact question if they found out. But, he’s a lot different from what you guys think. Back home, though he was still just as mischievous as he is now, he was also really sweet when he wanted to be.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Shuichi teased, raising an eyebrow.

“Hey, it’s true! Even before we started dating he was always very affectionate and sweet. Maybe that’s just because he had a crush on me, though.”

“Yeah, that makes a lot more sense. I can’t imagine Kokichi being nice to anyone besides a girl he’s trying to impress.”

“That’s not true, he was nice to the members of the organization as well!”

“All ten thousand of them?”

“Yes.”

It was surprisingly easy to talk to Shuichi, even after the topic of your relationship had passed. You could tell he felt the same way as well, as he had long forgotten about the investigation of the school, instead relaxing on your couch as you both tried to forget about the killing game. You chatted about anything, from your past to what you wanted to do in the future. It was refreshing, speaking like you’d have a future even though you knew the chances were grim.

An hour had gone by before you could even realize it, so deep in conversation you had barely felt time pass at all. During that time you had changed positions, upside down on the couch with your feet dangling off the back, while Shuichi had kicked off his shoes, opting for a more comfortable posture.

Absentmindedly toying with the pendant around your neck, you turned to him, “Hey, can I ask you a personal question?”

“Yeah, sure. Just don’t make it _too_ personal,” he said, eliciting a laugh from you, “I’ve seen you hanging out with Miu and I don’t know how much of her has rubbed off on you. Last time I went to talk to her she used this gun on me, she called it the ‘Kink Detector’. I haven’t gone back since.”

You paused, a mischievous smirk tugging at your lips, “Would you hate me if I told you I helped her come up with that invention?”

“Yes. Yes I would.”

Letting out a chuckle, you rolled your eyes, “Then forget I said anything. Anyways, I don’t think this question will be Miu-level personal, but either way you don’t have to answer it if you don’t want to. I guess I’ve always been curious, but did you like Kaede?”

“I, um…” he tensed for a moment, his eyes going dark as he looked to the ground, “I don’t know. She was something really special and I admired her a lot; not even just for her determination, she was always looking out for others above herself, even until the end.” A smile briefly took over his features, “I really think highly of her for that, but I don’t know if I would consider my feelings romantic. I didn’t know her for long, so it would just be unreasonable, wouldn’t it?”

You pulled yourself up into a sitting position, your previous grin fading, “No, it wouldn’t be. Feelings are strange and unpredictable, but even so, they’re never unreasonable. How long you’ve known someone shouldn’t play a factor into your feelings for them, that will just lead to denial.”

“But you and Kokichi knew each other for a whole year before you got together, surely time played a factor for you,” He argued.

Scooting closer to him, you placed a hand on his shoulder, “Maybe we did know each other for a year, but let me tell you a secret. God, if he knew he would never stop teasing me, but I started to like him two weeks after we became friends. So don’t give me that crap, ‘cause time means nothing. I want you to be honest with yourself, and I’m sure she would too.”

“Alright. Yeah, I will. I think… I think I did like her,” he confessed with a nod, fiddling with his fingers. He went silent for a moment, letting out a deep sigh, “I miss her. I just wish… I wish I could see her one more time. Actually tell her how I feel to her face.”

“Yeah, I miss her too. I didn’t know her as well as you did, but I know she was a good person. I have really good intuition about these things, and I know everyone would be ecstatic to have her back,” you said, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly, “Do you need a hug? I know from experience that a hug is the quickest way to feel better.”

He looked up, the faintest smile tugging at his lips. Shyly, he held out his arms, allowing you to tug him into an embrace. At first he was stiff, timidly wrapping his arms around your shoulders, though as soon as you tightened your grip he melted into the hug. You could feel him shaking slightly, though he wasn’t crying. If you had to guess, it had been a long time since he last experienced that much physical affection.

“Woah, what did I walk in on? Get a room, you lovebirds, it isn’t polite to fornicate in a public space,” a familiar voice rang out from the entrance of your lab, causing you to jump and pull away from Shuichi.

As you expected, Kokichi was leaning against the doorframe with a devious smirk gracing his features, hiding the expression of jealousy that threatened to reveal itself. From beside you, you could feel Shuichi tense up as he hastily removed his arms from their spot around your shoulders, though you just rolled your eyes, “Good afternoon to you too, Kokichi. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Well, I was going to kill you but Mr. Detective over here ruined my plans. So I guess just go down to the dining hall or whatever, the others wanted to meet for dinner. They were discussing some lame plans to escape, but they’re pretty stupid,” he explained, kicking up from the doorframe to fully enter the room, “So _this_ is your lab, (y/n)? I guess it fits, a boring lab for a boring talent.”

“If we’re going by that logic, then I can’t wait to see yours. A nonexistent lab for a nonexistent talent,” You retorted, pulling yourself off the couch, Shuichi tugging on his shoes before following suit.

Kokichi feigned a gasp of indignation, dramatically placing his hand over his heart, “Nonexistent? I think my ten thousand members beg to differ.”

“You know, it’s so cute that you still have imaginary friends at your age,” you teased, eliciting a chuckle from him. In the corner of your eye you could see Shuichi, his expression forming one of confusion. From the information he received that afternoon, you could tell why; your tones were so convincing it was difficult to figure out you were only joking. Turning to him, you flashed Shuichi a reassuring grin, “You can go ahead without me, I think I’m gonna hang back for a little bit.”

His gaze shifted to Kokichi for a split second before shooting you a knowing look, “Alright, I’ll see you in the dining hall then.”

With that he turned on his heel, striding out of your lab, occasionally casting a glance backwards. Of course, even though he knew you were together, he was still wary leaving you alone with the Kokichi. You couldn’t blame him, your boyfriend left a pretty bad impression on everyone in the game.

As the clicking of his shoes faded down the hall Kokichi grabbed your hand, gently pulling you closer to him. It seemed his demeanor had changed, a frown forming on his lips as he spoke, “This place, how did they do it? It looks just like-”

“My therapy room back home. I know. I have no idea how they even managed to figure out what it looks like, let alone make a perfect recreation of it,” you interrupted, crossing your arms as you let your eyes wander around the area.

“This is a major red flag. If they know what your _private hypnotherapy room_ looks like, then what else do they know?” he asked distastefully, mimicking your actions, “Probably our whole fucking lives.”

You let out a sigh as your shoulders dropped in defeat, “I don’t know. Let’s just get down to the dining hall, alright? I don’t wanna think about this anymore.”

As you began to move towards the exit you felt him stop you, his grip on your hand tightening as he tugged you back towards him. Before you could question him his lips were on yours in a soft kiss, his free hand sweetly cupping your cheek. Just as quickly as it happened he pulled away, giving you a smile, “Cheer up, okay? You look ugly when you’re sad.”

“And you look ugly all the time,” you retorted, pulling your hand from his before walking into the hall, a smirk making its way to your lips.

He caught up shortly after, letting out a laugh as he wrapped his arm around your shoulders, “Okay, that’s obviously a lie. Admit it, you love me and this handsome face.”

“But I don’t?”

“That’s not what you were saying last night.”

Your cheeks burned a bright red as you hit him on the shoulder, “Kokichi! I swear to god, why am I even dating you?”

“Because you _like_ me,” he teased, pressing a kiss to your temple, “And I like you too, even though you were getting all close and personal with Shuichi. Now come on, it’s getting boring alone up here. I wanna go mess with the others.”

“Alright, let’s go.”

 

_Thirteen/Seventeen_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so I love this chapter so much in all honesty and platonic Shuichi is my life, so I really hope you enjoyed it as well! Before you leave, I just have one question for you; how do you think Shuichi is going to handle knowing the hypnotists secret? I already have stuff planned out, but I'm genuinely curious to see your answers!


	6. Wounded

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, this came out a lot later than I intended, but things have been getting pretty hectic at school. Nevertheless, I hope this chapter is as fun to read as it was to write!!

_ “Oh no,” you groaned, picking up your phone as you stared at the screen in disgust, “He’s texting me again. I swear to god, why won't he just leave me alone?” _

_ You were sprawled out on the floor, back leaning against the side of Kokichi’s bed as you finished up your homework from that day. A book was sprawled out in your lap as you took notes for chemistry, occasionally pestering Kokichi to do the same, though he never listened. It was a normal day for the two of you, hanging out at each other’s houses until you were forced to go home, talking and playing video games in the meantime.  _

_ He swiveled around in his desk chair, raising an eyebrow, “Why doesn’t he leave you alone? It’s ‘cause you’re too nice, you let him off easy. You never even told him you weren’t interested, of course he’s gonna have a little bit of hope.” _

_ “But anyone could tell I don’t like him. Whenever he tries to touch me I move away, every time he starts to talk I don’t listen, every time he texts me I don’t respond for hours. How is that giving him hope?” you asked, throwing your phone down on the carpet in exasperation. Just as you did so the text tone went off once more, causing you to let out another groan. _

_ Getting up from his chair, Kokichi picked your phone up from the floor, sitting down next to you, “Because men think with their dicks. If you do so much as talk to him, he’s going to think you’re into him,” he explained, putting in the password to your phone and unlocking it, “Here, I’m gonna tell him to fuck off.” _

_ “Kokichi, no!” you exclaimed, your eyes going wide as you tried to take the phone back, though he just held it out of your reach, “Come on, I don’t want to be mean! Give it back!” _ _   
_

_ He tapped the screen a few more times, presumably to open your messages, before letting out a gasp of shock, “No, no, you do not want this back. I’m telling you right now, you don’t want to see what he sent you.” _

_ “Did he…?” _

_ “Send a dick pic? Yeah. God, I wish I didn’t have to see that with my innocent eyes.” He held the phone closer to his face, “Why is it so small?” _

_ “Delete it!” _

_ He let out a chuckle, nodding as he tapped the screen once again, “Okay, it’s done… but that doesn’t mean I’m giving you this back.” _

_ With narrowed eyes you lunged at him, steadying your hand on his shoulder as you reached for your phone, though it was futile. His arms were longer than yours, holding the device just out of your grasp. With a chuckle he moved it behind him, “Wow, talk about desperation. What, do you have nudes in here or something? Can I see them!?” _

_ “No, I don’t have nudes, idiot. I just know that if I let you have my phone, you're going to mess with it,” you said, practically on top of him. With a final reach your hand met his, pulling the phone from his grip, “Yes, got it!” _

_ Before you could even open it however, he tackled you to the ground, pinning your wrists to the floor as he tried to tug the device from your fingers, straddling you so you wouldn’t escape, “Do you really think I would give up that easily, (y/n)?” _

_ “Of course you wouldn’t, but guess what? I’m not giving you this damn phone!,” you retorted, rolling your eyes as you struggled to get free, knuckles white as you held your phone in a death grip. He appeared to give up for a moment, resting his hands on either side of your body as an unidentifiable expression crossed his features. Before you could question it, however, his lips were on yours. _

_ Your eyes shot wide open as your processed what was happening. Kokichi was… kissing you? This had to be a dream, but the sensation of his lips pressed against your own was too convincing to be fake. Eyelids fluttering closed, you allowed yourself to relax into the kiss, only to have your phone snatched right from your hand.  _

_ He pulled away, climbing off you with a look of triumph at your flustered state, holding the phone above his head tauntingly, “Never underestimate me, (y/n). You should know by now never to let your guard down.” _

_ “God, I hate you so much. Fine, you win, just try not to embarrass me too much, okay?” you sighed, fixing your hair as you pulled yourself back into a sitting position. Though your tone was calm as per usual, you couldn’t help but run what had just happened through your mind. He had been your crush for months, maybe even years, and he had just kissed you, playing it off as just some tactic to get what he wanted. But was that really true? _

_ He let out a laugh as he entered your password into the phone, smirking when he spoke, “No promises! But don’t worry, I won’t text your mom asking for condoms again. I think I’d actually die of boredom if you got grounded.” _

_ “Wow, you’re so considerate. Thanks,” you replied, sarcasm laced in your words as you shook your head. He didn’t respond, instead shooting you a wide smile that you couldn’t help but return. The way he looked at you, it was impossible to stay upset. _

 

“Hm, let’s see…” you trailed off, holding up your hands in front of you with six fingers extended in the air, “Oh, I have a good one. Never have I ever stripped in public.”

Miu let out a groan, putting down another one of her fingers so only two remained, “This is complete horse shit, it was for self defense and you know it! This shouldn’t even count, it was only in front of Gonta. Man, you really are a bitch for targeting me, (y/n).”

“To be fair, you’ve been targeting her as well, Miu. If you continue to be a hypocrite, you’re going to end up like Kokichi,” Kiibo pointed out, all ten of his fingers still up in front of him.

You had been hanging out with Miu earlier that morning when Kiibo decided to join you, watching as the two of you sat on your lab floor playing a game of “Never Have I Ever”. Intrigued, he decided to join the next game, though he was far too innocent for either of you to get him out. So in the end, the both of you decided to target each other, trading entertaining blows you knew would lose the other a point. Kiibo didn’t seem to mind, listening with interest as you both tried to explain yourselves after each comment with flushed cheeks.

“Okay, I got this one. Never have I ever been a little bitch,” Miu shot, leaning over the small circle you had created to force down one of your fingers. With a chuckle you kept it, watching as Kiibo put one of his down as well. 

Miu burst out into laughter as she returned to her spot, causing you to do the same. Turning to him, you shook your head, “Kiibo, you just burned  _ yourself _ .”

“I know, I meant to do that. The other day I read that in recent years self-deprecating humor has gained popularity, so I decided to try it out. I’m glad that it worked!” he beamed proudly, his smile akin to that of an innocent childs, “I’m not quite sure why it’s considered amusing, because to me it seems rather illogical, but I’m happy that it made you both laugh.”

You scooted closer to Miu, grabbing her arm dramatically as you feigned a look of awe, “We cannot corrupt this pure mind, we must protect him at all costs.”

“But… what if I want to corrupt him?” she asked, tugging you into a hug so close that your cheeks were touching, “(y/n), what if I want to fucking corrupt him!? Just look at that damn face, that innocent confusion; it would be so. Fucking. Fun.”

“No, you have to resist the urge Miu! Resist the urge! It is our duty to protect him!” you joked, pulling away so you could grab her shoulders, shaking them gently.

Kiibo looked on in confusion, unable to comprehend the scene unfolding before him. Shyly he got your attention, waving his arms in front of your faces, “Um, excuse me but what are you two talking about? Why do you want to protect me? And what from?”

Letting go of Miu, you crawled over to him, placing your hand on his back, “Kiibo, never change. Please, you’re too precious.”

“I feel like I’m missing something,” he mused, causing you and Miu to collapse into another fit of laughter. The feeling was all too familiar, sitting cross-legged on the floor as you giggled helplessly with your friends. It reminded you of home, of the carefree person you were before the killing game. In that moment you had forgotten about it completely, that at any point in time you could die in the academy, and a part of you wished to keep that thought suppressed. 

As the days you were stuck at the school turned into weeks, you began to realize how to cope with it all. People like Miu and Shuichi became a distraction, something new and exciting to take your mind off the game; hence why you decided to spend the morning with the former, diverting your attention from Angie and the Necronomicon with childish games and bad jokes. Meanwhile, Kokichi was a reminder of home, somebody to soothe your homesickness when it threatened to take you over completely.

That's why, when you caught the familiar flash of violet out of the corner of your eye, you were dreadfully reminded of the situation everyone was trapped in. Slowly, your laughter came to a cease, along with Miu’s, just in time for his voice to ring out from the doorway, “So what's going on here? Are you having a little party without me?”

Miu whipped around harshly, disgust clear in her tone as she spoke, “Yeah, you fuckface! We’re having girl time, no dicks allowed!”

“But Kiibo’s here,” he pointed out, climbing over the back of your couch to take a seat in front of you, “Wait, is Kiibo a girl? Why didn’t you tell me, I’ve been using the wrong pronouns this whole time! Man, I really feel like a jerk right now.”

“No, please do not assume that! I was programmed by my creator to look and behave like a normal human boy!” Kiibo exclaimed, his eyes going wide with panic. 

You let out a chuckle, calming him down, “No, Kokichi, I think when Miu said ‘dicks’, she was referring to your personality.”

“Wow, you cut me deep, (y/n). How will I ever recover from that burn?” he taunted, laying down with his hand dramatically strewn across his heart, the other resting on his forehead. With a sigh he appeared to quickly be over the act, turning to you, “But really, what are you guys doing in here? It’s so boring it makes me want to sleep.”

You grabbed a pillow from the chair nearest to you, throwing it at his face, “Shut up, my lab is sweet and you know it. But we’re hiding from Angie’s student council, and since no one really goes in here it’s the perfect place to do so.”

“Wait, you guys know  _ I’m  _ in the student council, right?” Kiibo asked, pointing a finger at himself.

You and Miu exchanged a look of panic, Miu’s eyes going wide as she began, “Fuck. (y/n), we’ve been compromised! Retreat, retreat!”

She shot up to her feet, grabbing your wrist and pulling you up beside her as she sprinted out of the lab. With a giggle you followed close behind, listening as Kokichi and Kiibo called out in confusion from where you abandoned them, the sound of their footsteps soon joining yours down the vacant hall. You turned to Miu as you quickened your pace, “They’re catching up! We have to hurry, or we’ll be done for!”

“Shit, I don’t know if I can keep up much longer!” she yelled back, her speed faltering as she did so, “These beautiful tits… they’re weighing me down!”

You turned a corner, feeling as your breathing began to get heavier as well. Even so, you pressed on, taking Miu’s hand in your own, “Come on, you have to power through it! I’m tired too, but we can’t lose to them!”

She averted her attention to you, though just as she was about to speak she collided with someone, falling to the ground with a slur of curses. Stopping in your tracks, you watched as she let out a groan, pulling herself up into a sitting position, Kaito strewn on the floor a few feet away from her. You helped him up first, looking around to see a few others you failed to notice earlier standing around a door.

“What’s going on here?” you asked, holding out your hand to tug Miu up from the ground, her still muttering various curses under her breath.

Shuichi was the first to answer, his tone laced with confusion, “We were trying to talk Angie out of doing the ritual, but she wont open the door for any of us,” he explained, raising an eyebrow shortly after, “Why were you guys running?”

“It’s nothing, we were just messing around. But what do you mean she wont open the door? I thought these didn’t have locks,” you said, walking up and turning the doorknob. Sure enough, it wouldn’t budge.

Himiko’s shoulders dropped in disappointment as she gave a sigh, “Usually they don’t, but she likes to work alone, so Monokuma put locks on both of the doors. She’s supposed to open them for student council members, but now she’s not answering at all. And we can’t even get in because the door’s locked.”

“Oh well, this is certainly a conundrum you have yourselves in,” A voice rang out from behind you. Turning on your heel, you were met with Kokichi, his expression full of interest as he approached the group, Kiibo close behind, “I wonder, should I graciously offer my help to you losers or watch you suffer?”

“Oh right, you can pick locks, can’t you?” Shuichi asked, looking to you for confirmation, “He did that to get into our rooms during the Insect Meet and Greet, right (y/n)?”

“Correct,” you said with a nod, nudging the boy in question with your elbow, “It’s scary how good he is at it. Maybe that’s your real talent?”

He brushed you off, rustling through his pocket as he took a step closer to the lab door, “You flatter me, (y/n). Who knows, maybe that is my real talent? But of course, I’d never tell any of you nerds, so you’ll just have to guess! In the meantime-” he bent down, peering into the handle, “-Oh, it’s a cylinder lock! This is perfect for lock picking.”

His hand came out of his pocket, his fingers gripping a few thin needles as he stuck them into the keyhole. He worked at it for a moment, moving around the needles until several clicks could be heard, before twisting the doorknob. It seemed to open effortlessly, though Kokichi stepped back and allowed Shuichi to do the honors, “It’s all yours, detective.”

“Alright…” he trailed off, approaching the door warily. His hand seemed to shake as he reached out, gripping the doorknob in his hand before pulling it open, revealing what resided on the other side. 

Your breathing hitched in your throat as your hand flew up to cover your mouth. One would think seeing the death of your classmate would get easier, having been through it four times already, but when you laid eyes on Angie’s crumpled form you had to bite your cheek to keep from screaming. Afterall, no one could ever get used to death.

If you didn’t know any better, you would’ve thought she was sleeping; simply exhausted from staying up all night in her lab. But the scarlet puddle that pooled around her head and torso was enough to say otherwise, dampening her once-white locks of hair. The worst of it, however, was the state in which her lab was in. Hanging from the ceiling were four wax statues, each masterfully crafted into the form of one of your passed classmates, so skilled it took you a moment to figure out they were nothing but the work of Angie. 

Before you could realise it, you were backing out of the room, the body discovery announcement playing almost tauntingly in your ears. To think, just moments before you were messing around with your friends, running through the halls without a care in the world. Hopelessly unaware of the tragedy that had occured right under your noses.

Footsteps sounded from the staircase as people pushed past you, making their way into the lab and snapping you out of your daze. With a start you followed them, your eyes focusing anywhere but  _ her _ . Out of everyone, Kiibo was the first to speak, his voice cracking as he took a step closer to her, hanging his head in mourning, “...Let us pray for Angie. So that Atua may guide her soul to the gates of Heaven.”

“Why did it end up like this?” Tsumugi asked, her face draining of all color, “Didn’t Angie have Atua with her?”

Kokichi rolled his eyes, regarding everyone with a bored expression, “Obviously she didn’t. Now come on, we don’t have time to be talking about all this Atua crap.” His mood seemed to change in an instant, his eyes lighting up with a false excitement, “We gotta talk about which one of us is the culprit, and win this killing game!”

“But, why would someone do such an awful thing!? Is that really what happened?” Tsumugi asked, hugging her arms uncomfortably, “It’s possible the culprit who killed Angie wasn’t one of us, but-”

“Ugh, why did another murder happen?” a feminine voice rang out from behind you. Everyone turned, being met with the three remaining Monokubs. Monophanie shook her head in a scolding manner, “What’s the deal, Monodam!? I thought you were gonna make everyone get along!”

He shied away from her tone, “DON’T-WORRY. OVERCOMING-THIS-WILL-BRING-EVERYONE-CLOSER-TOGETHER. THAT-HAS-BEEN-THE-CASE-SO-FAR, YES? THEIR-BOND-GETS-STRONGER-WITH-EACH-CLASS-TRIAL, DOES-IT-NOT? MURDERS-ARE-NECESSARY-TO-BRING-EVERYONE-CLOSER-TOGETHER. SO-LET’S-GET-STARTED.”

“Oh, you’re right! Everyone conduct a friendly investigation. Then, we’ll have a friendly class trial! Here’ I’ll distribute these,” Monophanie said, pulling out a dozen Monokuma Files. One by one, she passed them out to each student, pressing the device into their hands eagerly. Once she was done, she gave a quick wave, “So long, bear well!”

And just like that they were gone, just as mysteriously as they had arrived. The only trace left of their presence ever being there was the Monokuma Files you each held in your fingers. As the others broke into a chatter amongst themselves, you turned the device on, scrolling through the material provided. Like usual, her name and portrait were displayed at the top of the screen, her basic information directly under it. Without giving it much of a glance, you switched over to the next tab, a picture of the crime scene shown as the header. Underneath was what you really needed, her cause of death; a stab wound to the back of the neck. 

A shudder went down your spine as you turned off the device, sticking it in your backpack for safekeeping. Even after five deaths, you still couldn’t understand how anyone could possibly go through with something so terrifying. Slowly, you shifted your gaze down to your hands. Would you ever be able to do something like that? If you snapped, would you actually do something so rash?

From beside you someone cleared their throat, over exaggerated as to get your attention. Of course, as you turned you were greeted by Kokichi, his hand grabbing your wrist as soon as you did so, “Finally, I’ve been trying to get your attention for the longest time!”

“I wasn’t  _ that _ spaced out. If you were calling me before, I would’ve noticed. Nice try, though,” you teased, a grin tugging at your lips. At least your life here had some degree of normalcy, even if it was as simple as joking with Kokichi.

He let out a defeated sigh, sticking out his lower lip in a pouty expression, “You never let me have any fun, (y/n). You’re such a party pooper, you know that?”

“Yeah, I’m well aware, but someone here has to keep you in line. Maybe I should get a badge. Oh, it could even say something like ‘official Kokichi babysitter’,” you retorted, nudging him on the side, “Now come on, we have a crime scene to investigate and not much time. Let’s not spend it all joking around.”

“I can’t make any promises on that last part, but let’s get started!” he said, gripping your wrist tighter. Though his words were energetic, almost eager in their own way, the smile that accompanied them was forced. The expression failed to make it to his eyes, which were dull and fatigued.

Biting the inside of your cheek, you prepared yourself for what was to come during the investigation. Angie, who would ever want to kill her? Sure, the student council she made up was annoying and all her talk of “Atua” got on your nerves, but it would hardly be a strong enough motivation to stab someone to death. But then again, anything could be possible within this deranged game. 

After a moment of silence you gave him a curt nod, “Alright, let’s do this. We’re going to find who the culprit is.”

You started with her body, just like the two of you had for the previous cases. The sight made your stomach turn, her curled up figure stained in crimson. Kokichi knelt down, careful not to touch any of the blood as he checked the pockets of her jacket, though in the end it proved unfruitful, both turning up empty. With an agitated groan he checked the rest of the body, looking over her form with a careful eye. 

Placing a gentle hand on his back, you knelt down as well, “Hey, all jokes aside, how are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling just fucking dandy, to be honest. You know, just looking over the dead body of one of our classmates. It’s no big deal,” He said with a dry chuckle, picking himself up from the ground and helping you up soon after.

You brushed the dust off your knees, rolling your eyes at his response, “Okay, fine. I’ll admit, that was a stupid question to ask.”

“A stupid question from a stupid person. Oh, I think I’m sensing a theme here!” he mused, much to your distaste. Letting out a sigh, you lightly hit his arm in retaliation.

Deciding to move on, the two of you had just begun to make your way to the hanging wax effigies when a loud commotion made you stop. Several people near the front were arguing when Korekiyo got their attention, speaking loud enough for the two of you to overhear, “Well, of course resurrecting her is impossible, but I know a way we can speak with Angie. We can summon her spirit with a seance called The Caged Child.”

“Seance? What are you talking about? Cut it out already, this is no time for jokes,” Maki scolded, the look she shot him sending a chill up your spine.

That, however, failed to faze Korekiyo as he continued with little hesitation, “Oh, but I’m being serious. This is for our investigation. If we speak with Angie, we can ask her who the culprit is and bring this case to a swift close.”

Kokichi’s hand closed around yours, pulling you after him as he approached the scene with curiosity. But just as he had held your hand, he quickly dropped it, taking a few steps forward without you, “First, a resurrection ritual and now a seance? Are you messing with us?”

“I would appreciate it if you didn’t compare it to Monokuma’s foolishness,” Korekiyo said, letting out a soft laugh, “Seances are genuine occurrences. They are written of in literature the world over. In fact, I myself have participated in seances a great many times. On top of that, we have the rare chance to perform the legendary seance, The Caged Child. It would be foolish not to take advantage of this, yes?”

Tsumugi paled, shaking her head in defiance, “No matter how you put it, now’s not the time for something-”

“Oh? I suspect the only way to confirm your earlier theory is by performing the seance, yes?” Korekiyo interjected, “The possibility of the culprit being the resurrected transfer student… It’s not wise to go into the class trial with such outlandish theories in one’s head. So to prove such a thing impossible, I think it best we consult Angie herself.”

“Holding a seance to find out about the ritual. So, we’re gonna fight the occult with the occult? Well, we can’t worry about this forever, so we might as well go with the easiest solution,” Kokichi mused, casting a glance over to you, “Okay, I’ll help out. I was getting bored of investigating with (y/n), anyways.”

You rolled your eyes but said nothing in retaliation, choosing to listen to Himiko instead, whose voice was weak and shaky as she spoke, “I’ll help too… If I can talk to Angie one more time, I’ll do anything. A seance or whatever it takes, I’ll do it.”

“I’ll help out as well! I can’t leave Himiko alone!” Tenko exclaimed, panic clear in her voice. It was clear to tell how much she cared for the other, though it hurt knowing how often Himiko disregarded her so blatantly. 

Korekiyo looked pleased, his cheeks rising in what you could only imagine was a smile behind his mask, “So now we have four participants. Kokichi, Himiko, Tenko, and myself. However, The Caged Child requires five people. We’re still one short.”

You were about to volunteer, figuring you could keep Kokichi in line, though before you could he spoke up, “Fine, then Kee-boy can come, too. I guess we can’t be too picky.”

“Why am I being forced to participate  _ and _ being treated like a burden!?” Kiibo interjected, though his comment was simply disregarded. 

“So then, we need a place to perform the seance. Where shall we do it?” Korekiyo asked, “I would suggest my lab, but in order for The Caged Child to succeed, the room must be as dark as possible. My lab has windows, so turning the lights off won’t make it quite dark enough.”

Himiko glanced up in thought, perking up after a moment, “How about one of the empty rooms? There aren’t any windows there, so if we blow out the candles it should be pitch black.”

“Very well, then. However, there are three empty rooms. Which one shall we use?” Korekiyo pondered. 

Once again, Himiko paused for a second, “Um… the middle room. The middle room is always the best for stuff like this,”

“Of course. I shall begin the preparations at once,” He said, gesturing to the small group, “I shall have you four help as well. Let us carry all the necessary equipment from my lab. Remember, we need to use all out effort to discover the culprit, lest our lives be lost.”

With that, the five of them left to prepare, leaving you in solitude to investigate the rest of the crime scene. Though you were thankful you had gotten examining the body out of the way while Kokichi was still there, you were still nervous to search the rest of the room. The last two investigations you had worked well with him, providing each other moral support when things got tough. But now you were alone, and you didn’t even know where to start. 

Hesitantly, you approached the wax effigies that you had been approaching before Korekiyo’s conversation interrupted you. They were expertly made, so well done they almost looked like the real deal. No wonder Angie was the Ultimate Artist, just those sculptures alone were some of the most impressive work you’ve ever seen. There were four of them, of course, all modeled after your deceased classmates, and they were all hung upside down from the rafters above her lab. If that wasn’t peculiar enough, you noticed one thing that stuck out amongst it all. Kaede’s had a long sword stabbed through her chest.

Shuichi seemed to notice your curious gaze, as moments later he and Maki had joined you, his tone showing concern you had yet to voice, “This is really strange, why are they all hung up like this? It seems like a lot of work, do you think it’s also part of the ritual?”

“I have no clue, I never heard anything really about it. Most of the time after the motivation was announced, I was spending it with Miu trying to hide from the student council. Now I’m kinda regretting not learning more,” you explained, taking a step closer to Kaede’s effigy, “Have you seen this though? Why would someone stab a statue with a sword?”

He looked at it with a wounded expression, raising his handbook up to take a picture of the the scene in question nonetheless, “I have no idea, but if anything, I don’t believe  _ that _ is part of the ritual. This must have something to do with Angie’s murder.”

“Do you think it was their attempt of hiding the weapon?” you asked with a shrug, “That’s the only thing I can think of. I mean, it said she was stabbed in the back of her neck, right? A katana would be a reasonable weapon to do so.”

“That’s possible, but I don’t think they were trying to hide it. If they really didn’t want anyone to know the weapon, they would’ve cleaned it and returned the sword to where it came from. In all honesty, I believe it was used for something else as well. But for what, I’m not sure of,” he explained, running his finger along the handle curiously. A few flakes of gold came off as he pulled his hand away, coating the tip of his finger in a yellow shimmer.

The way he examined the gold was fascinating, you could practically see the gears turning in his mind. With a decisive nod, he brushed off the coating on the side of his pants, leaving behind a streak of yellow on his clothes. Not that it really mattered, your closets were full with identical pairs anyways. 

From behind you, you heard Maki clear her throat to grab your attention, “Hey, you two. I think we should take a look at this.”

In her hands she held a large book with elaborate embellishments decorating the front, ones that were all too familiar. It was the Necronomicon, the last motivation given to you by the Monokubs. Intrigued, you and Shuichi both joined Maki, standing on either side of her as she examined the outside of the lengthy text.

A moment passed before she handed it off to Shuichi, who took it warily. Turning it around in his hands, he spoke with sceptical words, “This was the motive… this book. Inside should be the ritual she was trying to perform. I guess we should take a look.”

Without hesitation he flipped it open to a page bookmarked by Angie. Inside resided several cartoonish illustrations, the steps to the ritual labeled beside them. Taking a deep breath, Shuichi began to read it out loud, “The Necronomicon Resurrection Ritual. Prepare an effigy of the dead soul you wish to contact. The size and shape of the effigy is irrelevant, so make it out of whatever materials you wish. After preparing the effigy, burn this Necronomicon to ashes. Sprinkle the ashes on the effigy and repeat the name of the deceased three times. The close your eyes and wait. After a while, you should feel a light tap on your back. If so, that means the ritual was a success.”

You raised an eyebrow, “ _ That _ was the motive? I can’t believe they would pass something as childish as this for a ressurection ritual.”

“Did Angie really believe this crap? It’s pretty obvious you wouldn’t be able to do anything with this,” Maki agreed.

Shuichi closed the book, placing it back down where Maki found it on the floor, “Under normal circumstances, I’m sure that would be true, Maki. But in this place, I don’t think we can rule anything out.”

After snapping a quick picture of the book Shuichi and Maki took their leave, heading over to Korekiyo’s lab, already having investigated the rest of the room. Though they offered for you to come along, you opted to stay behind to do some searching for yourself. Still having most of Angie’s lab left to investigate, you continued where you left off once they were gone. 

It was while you were talking to Miu that something peculiar happened. In the midst of your conversation the monitor behind you roared to life, displaying the three remaining Monokubs. Assuming it was just the announcement ending your investigation, you paid no mind to it, until you heard Monotaro’s first words, “Who would’ve thought… there would be another victim during the investigation?”

You stopped in your tracks, head whipping around to meet the screen. You felt yourself go cold, who was it now? Thankfully, Monotaro wasted no time telling everyone where to go, ignoring the puking fit of Monophanie, “Everyone, please assemble in the seance room.”

Right after that the screen went black, and before you could even think you were bolting out of the lab. Kokichi was part of the seance, he was one of the five in that room. One of the five potential victims. Please, you thought, don’t let it be him.

The sound of your feet rapidly hitting the floor echoed throughout the hall as you found your way to the empty rooms. Other footsteps and voices filled the air behind you, though tunnel vision had taken over you mind. Your breathing, getting heavier the longer your ran, was the only thing you could hear. And the seance room, which was only a few feet away from you, was the only thing you could see. 

Without even thinking, you flung the door open, the others behind you piling inside as soon as you did so. The room itself was dark, even with the candles on the wall lit, and decorating the floor was an intricate design made with a white grainy substance. Salt, if you had to guess. But in an instant the design was ruined under the feet of everyone rushing inside, crowding around something in the center of the room. 

Pushing to the front, your mind dreaded what you would find. When you entered in the mess of people you failed to see Kokichi, perhaps due to his short stature, though all rationality was lost in your moment of panic. But as you laid eyes on the newfound crime scene, you knew he was safe. That being said, it didn’t mean everyone was. 

Tenko was curled up on the floor, blood pooling from a deep laceration at the back of her neck. If Angie looked as if she was sleeping, Tenko seemed even more so. The skin on her cheeks was still flushed a light pink, not yet losing its coloring from decomposition, making it hard to believe she was really dead. But, the body discovery announcement proved it. That she was murdered. 

You took a step back, tears stinging at the corners of your eyes. Tenko, she was something else. Like Angie, you never knew her very well, but her presence was one you enjoyed. You admired how she cared for Himiko, you laughed as how she degraded the boys, and now that positive influence was gone. Biting your lip, you stifled your emotions and quietly muttered to yourself, “Why would someone do this?”

A moment after you felt a hand on your back, a familiar voice answering in a whisper, “Because, they weren’t satisfied with only killing one person. This sick fuck, they probably didn’t even kill to escape.”

“You think it was the same person?” you asked, glancing beside you at Kokichi. He seemed angry, furious even, at the thought of it. But when you met eyes his expression softened, giving a solemn nod.

As the commotion in the seance room simmered down, everyone finally started to grasp the situation at hand. Someone, Tenko, was killed in the midst of someone else’s investigation. Things were about to get  _ much _ more complicated. 

As if they heard your thoughts, the Monokubs appeared before the body, each just as freaked out as you were. Monotaro placed his hands on either side of his head in distress, “I’m surprised, too! I never thought a murder would happen during an investigation! Um, I guess for now you should start this investigation right away?”

“Before that, I would like to confirm something,” Korekiyo requested, his voice oddly calm for the situation, “The culprit who killed Angie may be a different culprit from the one who killed Tenko, yes? What happens in the event there are two murders by two people? What if there are two blackened? Will we need to find them both at the class trial?”

A murmur of confusion ran through the Monokubs as they tried to figure it out, turning into a small argument amongst them. Of course, none of them had the answer, each resorting to musing about how they needed Monokuma. As if on cue, an all too familiar voice rang throughout the room, “Awe, you’re all making me blush.”

Monokuma, seeming to have recovered from his catatonic state, appeared. He looked perfectly normal, the blotches that previously littered his fur completely gone. A part of you figured he was never really catatonic in the first place, only proven to be fact when he spoke again, “I’m back! Man, that vacation was just what I needed; it’s important to take time off and relax. Now, what were you guys talking about again?” he asked, answering for himself before anyone could speak, “Oh, that’s right. What happens to your votes if there are two blackened candidates? Well, I have an answer or that. First come, first served!”

You recoiled in confusion, raising an eyebrow, “First come, first served? What is that supposed to mean?”

“Okay, I’ll break it down for you idiots. Basically, it the blackened who killed Angie isn’t the same as the one who killed Tenko, then only Angie’s killer will be considered the blackened. Basically, Tenko’s killer wasted a kill, and Tenko herself is a waste of a victim. But that being said, I updated the Monokuma File, so do your best to investigate this murder as well, because you may find it to be very useful,” he explained, leaving promptly after. 

The Monokubs followed suit, each one excited to have their father back, leaving everyone to investigate for the second time that morning. Pulling out the Monokuma File, you scrolled farther down past Angie, seeing as Tenko’s dead body appeared on the screen. Her time of death was approximately eleven in the morning, just barely twenty minutes before. And like you suspected, her cause of death was the stab wound to the back of her neck, just like Angie’s.

Just like the first time, as you were putting away the Monokuma File Kokichi grabbed your wrist, this time steering you away from the group of people. He pulled you into a corner near the door, his expression serious as he leaned closer, speaking in a hushed tone, “We need to check the other rooms. I have a theory, and if we’re able to prove it then it should be easy to find the culprit.”

“What theory?” you asked curiously, leaning against the wall with crossed arms.

He copied your actions, resting against the spot beside you, “You’ll see when we get there. But while Monokuma was blabbering away I went off did a little investigating of my own.” He pointed over to the body, “The floorboard under her was moved. It’s at a weird angle, exposing the crawl space below it. And even more strange, I think the supporting beam under it was cut.”

“Oh? Why would we need to go into the other rooms, then? Shouldn’t that be enough evidence on it’s own?” you asked.

“Well, on it’s own it would be pretty important, but if I can prove my theory, we may be able to tell who the culprit is. Come on, I’ll show you,” he explained, his grip on your wrist returning as you exited the room, him leading you to the one next door. 

It was the same as the other two, with eerie dark lighting and a strange vibe, though it’s emptiness made it even creepier. Letting go of your hand, Kokichi ventured deeper into the room, carefully stepping on the loose wooden tiles as he surveyed the area. You, on the other hand, stayed as close to the door as possible, the chill running up your spine preventing you from advancing any further. 

It was as he began to search the middle of the room that you realized what he was looking for. Another unstable floorboard. Trodding carefully, he got closer and closer to the spot Tenko was in, until finally, he found it, though it wasn’t in as much of a dignified way as you both expected. His foot landed on one of the center tiles, going right through it and fliging him to the ground. His head hit the floor with a painful thud, a groan sounding from his lips moments later. 

All sense of hesitation abandoned you in that moment as you rushed to his side, kneeling down beside his collapsed form, “Oh my god, you idiot! Are you okay!?”

His shoulders began to shake, accompanied by the sound of faint laughter. Pulling himself up into a sitting position, he met your eyes with a smile as blood dripped down his forehead, “I can’t believe I did that. Jesus, it must’ve been so funny! I wonder what my face looked like, probably scared half to death. But I’m fine, don’t worry about me babe.”

“Kokichi, you’re bleeding. Like, a lot. There’s no way you’re fine, we need to get you patched up,” you said, pushing back his bangs to get a look at the wound. He winced as your fingers brushed against his forehead, revealing a deep laceration across the area. You shook your head, “No, this definitely isn’t good. Come on, there’s first aid kits in the bathrooms.”

You had just started to stand when his hand shot out, grabbing your sleeve to prevent you from leaving, “Wait, not yet! I wanna play a prank on Shuichi.”

“Kokichi, you’re bleeding very heavily from your forehead, this is hardly the time to be playing pranks!” you exclaimed.

He batted his eyes, sticking out his lower lip like a child, “Please, (y/n)? Pretty please? You’d be the best girlfriend in the world if you let me.”

“I already am the best girlfriend in the world.”

“Please!? Please, please, please, please-”

“Fine!” you snapped, rubbing your temples in annoyance, “Fine, you can play the prank, but right after that I’m treating your wound. And it better be quick, because if you take too long I’m taking you straight to the bathroom, you hear me?”

He stood, a bit wobbly on his feet, but flashed you a bright grin as he pressed a kiss to your cheek, “Yes ma’am! Thank you baby, you’re the best!”

Kissing you once more on the lips, he left the room, leaving you in a state of confusion. Since when did he use so many pet names? Did the blood loss make him delusional, or did he hit his head so hard he changed personalities? Whatever the case, you gave a shrug and followed him outside, watching as he laid down on the ground in front of the seance room. You raised an eyebrow, “What the hell are you doing?”

“Playing dead,” He muttered, his voice muffled as he faced the floor, “It’s for the prank. I’m gonna play dead and scare ‘em. Hey, you should go get them for me! Act all frantic and stuff, really sell that I’m dead.”

You shook your head, letting out an airy laugh, “Dude no, that’s terrible. Look, I’m not gonna stop you from playing a prank, but I’m not participating in this one.”

“Fine, then just find a way to get them out of the room for me. In the meantime, I’ll be here… bleeding out… you better hurry up or I might-”

“I get it, you little jerk. I’ll be back in a second, so don’t die, alright? Even though you’re a jerk, I still like your presence. So make sure this prank doesn’t become reality,” you said, leaning down to plant a quick kiss on the crown of his head before disappearing into the seance room. 

  Conveniently, just as you had entered you noticed Shuichi and Maki starting towards the exit. They were speaking in hushed voices, Shuichi flipping though a few pictures on his student handbook to show her. It was clear to tell they both had an idea of who the culprit was, or at least were able to piece some of the clues together. A pang of envy went through you, how were they always so good when it came to the class trials?

Pushing your thoughts aside, you approached the pair, “Hey, are you guys heading out?”

Looking up from his handbook, Shuichi flashed you a friendly smile, “Yeah, we were about to investigate Korekiyo’s lab one more time. Do you want to come with us?”

“Yeah, I just got done investigating for myself, but I never thought about going there. I guess you two can lead the way,” you prompted, both of them giving you a nod in response. Tucking his handbook back into his pocket, Shuichi started towards the door, Maki right next to him as you trailed behind.

As soon as he stepped into the hallway he froze, his eyes going wide at the scene before him. Panic seemed to flash over his features, casting a quick glance towards you. Of course, he knew you two were together. Feigning a gasp, you tried your best to look as shocked as possible, hoping the acting classes you took in high school paid off. 

Thankfully, they did, as Shuichi didn’t question your response. But just as soon as he turned back to Kokichi, the latter’s head shot up, a wide grin gracing his features, “It’s a lie!” he exclaimed, unsteadily climbing to his feet as he let out a strained laugh, “Did I surprise you? Were you gonna scream and cry in terror?”

“What are you doing!?” Shuichi asked, his voice harsh with anger. He cast another glance towards you, seeing as your facial expression distorted into one of vague amusement. 

Kokichi stared at him blankly, seeming to space out for a moment before coming to, “Oh, sorry about that. I’m just a little light-headed from the blood loss. Yeah, this is real blood. Very real blood…”

Shuichi rolled his eyes in impatience, “Okay, so what are you doing?”

“I got curious about something, so I took (y/n) with me to search the empty room next door. Then suddenly… she hit me with one of the loose floorboards,” he lied, smiling as blood continued to pour down his face.

You laughed, crossing your arms in front of you, “More like you were an idiot and stepped through the floorboard. He was walking around and one of them gave out right under him. He smashed his forehead in on the floor, and then insisted on playing a prank on you guys afterwards.” You lowered your voice down to a whisper, “I think it messed with his head.”

“Oh yeah, you’re right! I guess there was no crosspiece supporting the floorboard, so I kinda… stepped through it. Man, what back luck.” Kokichi explained, trying to casually place his hands behind his head. As he did so, however, he swayed in his spot.

With a sigh you walked over to him, grabbing his arm and draping it around your shoulders securely, “Okay, it’s time for you to get all patched up, buddy. I’m gonna take him to the bathroom, so don’t wait up for me, alright?”

Maki and Shuichi nodded, heading off in the opposite direction towards Korekiyo’s lab, leaving you alone to handle a delusional Kokichi. Wrapping your arm around his waist, you carefully lead him down the hallway, making sure to go slow so he wouldn’t over exert himself. Thankfully, though, you made it to the bathroom with little problem. 

Forcing him to sit on one of the sinks, you searched through the supply closet until you found it. A large white box with a red cross displayed on the center. During your search of the academy you found that every bathroom had one exactly like it, filled with everything from bandages to a needle and medical thread for stitches. Setting it down on the counter beside him, you got to work. 

First you cleaned off his face, using a damp rag to remove the dried blood from his cheeks and forehead. As you did so, he leaned into your touch, his fingers wrapping around your wrist as you swiped the cloth over the side of his face, “That feels so nice. It’s so warm, it’s making me sleepy…”

Instantly, you pulled away, lightly smacking his face, “No, no, you’re not going to sleep. I know for a fact you probably have a concussion, and if you fall asleep you could die.”

“What if I wanna die?” he asked blearily, though the joke was obvious in his tone as he reluctantly opened his eyes.

You gently smacked his face once more for good measure before placing the rag down on the counter, reaching for another and coating it with hydrogen peroxide. With a smirk you placed it onto the wound, watching as his face scrunched up in pain, “Nope, you’re not dying on my watch. But, here’s a little payback for saying that.”

“You’re lucky I’m a masochist,” he hissed, his hand returning to grip your wrist. This time, however, his nails dug into your skin as you continued to disinfect the wound.

After you were finished, you grabbed an antibiotic ointment from the kit and applied it over the laceration as you spoke, “Wow, that’s something I didn’t know about you; I could’ve sworn you were a sadist. Should I break out the whips and chains next time you spend the night?”

“Please do, I’d like to see your weak-ass try to inflict any kind of pain whatsoever,” he taunted, following your hands as they unraveled a roll of gauze, wrapping it methodically around his head. 

You took a step back, admiring your work. Sure, his hair stuck out from the bandages oddly and looked somewhat ridiculous, but it stopped the bleeding. Kokichi himself looked better as well, the color returning to his face as he stopped spacing out when you talked. With a grin, you held out your hand to him, “I’m going to disregard your last comment, because my work here is done! Come on, let’s get going before the others realize we snuck off the the girls bathroom alone together.”

“Wait, I’m in the girls bathroom?” he asked, taking your hand and sliding off the sink. He wobbled in his spot for a moment before steadying himself, “Woah, okay, I’m gonna need you to support me.”

Complying, you placed your arm around his waist once again, the class trial announcement going off as soon as you did so. Paying no mind to it, you started to lead Kokichi to the hall, making sure to support his weight for him. As you did so, he slyly draped his arm around your shoulders, planting a sweet kiss onto your cheek, “Thank you, Doctor (y/n).”

You smiled, stopping to kiss him on the lips, “Anything for my favorite patient.”

 

_ Eleven/Seventeen _


	7. Melancholy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so I just wanna warn you guys that this is a long-ass chapter, so prepare yourselves! And also, before we start I wanna give a quick shout out to Yukina_Kushinada on Wattpad (Yukio_Kushinada on ao3) for drawing the Ultimate Hypnotist!! They did such a good job and she looks so adorable, so please check it out on their Wattpad!!!!

Nighttime had just hit as you entered your room, letting out a sigh as you blocked out the announcement playing through the monitor. At this point, it was all just white noise to you, the voices of the Monokubs blurring into nothingness the longer you stayed in the game. The fact that you were getting used to life in the academy was one you didn't like to think about, though you knew it was true, as everything you once thought was peculiar had faded into regularity.

Without bothering to change into your night clothes you curled up on your bed, pulling the covers over your shivering form. It seemed as if the nights were getting colder, or maybe the lack of rest had finally begun to affect your health. Either way, you needed all the warmth you could get, pulling your knees up to your chest in a comforting position as you tried to drift off to sleep.

But of course, the soothing hands of unconsciousness failed to pull you under, leaving you in a state of restlessness as your mind went wild with all the thoughts you had bottled up. The last few days had been confusing, if not utterly painful to experience. Three more people had died, killed in ways no human should have to undergo, on top of the horrid trial that went along with it. And it seemed that no matter how hard you tried, you couldn’t get Korekiyo’s face out of your head. The way he so calmly stated his motive, unrelated to the circumstances of the killing game, brought a chill down your spine.

The day after everyone was in shock, though you were given a new motive nonetheless. A key card, unlocking what you could only assume to be the worst place imaginable. Before anyone could object Kokichi had taken it for himself, promising to search the school for the motive on his own. Later on he had come back empty handed, or so he claimed, though ever since he had put a lengthy distance between the two of you.

He was plotting something, you were almost certain of it, and that’s what scared you the most. Kokichi was independant, you knew that from the start of your initial friendship with him, and the stubbornness that resided within his personality was enough to cause his downfall. Whatever he was planning, he wanted to do it alone, and if that meant cutting you out entirely then that’s what he was going to do.

Never before had you been more worried about his well being until that moment as you laid on your bed, curled up underneath your covers with any thought of sleep long gone from your mind. He wasn’t just your boyfriend, just some petty high school romance most refused to believe would last. Above everything, he was your best friend. He showed you a way of living that revolved around _you_ , not your talent. And through everything, he had stayed by your side. You didn’t know what you would do if you lost him.

Blinking hard, you felt a tear escape from your eye, hitting the pillow that cradled your head. This seemed to happen a lot lately; as soon as you were behind closed doors the tears would appear out of nowhere, bringing out all the feelings you had bottled up. Fear. Regret. Guilt. Anger. In the end, it never made you feel better like it used to. Now, all you could feel was a lingering hollowness that refused to go away.

Burying your face in your pillow, you tried to fight the onslaught of emotion that threatened to escape, biting your lip to stifle the sob building up in your throat. Just as you did so, the tone of your doorbell rang throughout the room, giving you a start. Confused, you quickly wiped your eyes and pulled yourself up from the bed, curiously making your way over to the door.

When you opened it, the person standing before you was one you didn’t expect to see. Miu greeted you excitedly, a grin spread out over her features, “Hey (y/n)!”

“Miu, what are you doing here? It’s past nighttime,” you asked, trying to keep your voice steady as you spoke, though it faltered near the end.

Thankfully, she didn’t catch it, continuing with her usual eccentric attitude, “I figured me and the twins could swing by and pay your lonely ass a visit! Maybe show you what real tits look like, compared to that sad sack you got there!”

Rolling your eyes, you crossed your arms in annoyance, “I’m being serious, what are you doing here so late?”

“What am I doing here? Cheer up, (y/n)! Thanks to me, you get to leave this confining place! Just come to the computer room on the fourth floor if you wanna find out, but there’s no rush. So if you wanna stroke the beaver while you think about me, you got time,” she exclaimed, letting out a boisterous laugh before taking her leave, moving on to the room beside you.

With a sigh you closed the door, leaning against the wooden surface as a wave of fatigue hit you. What exactly did she mean by “leave this confining place”? Did she really find a way out, or was she just messing with you? Her tone didn’t sound serious at all, and mixed with the fact that she prompted you to take your time lead you to believe the latter, but your curiosity was still piqued nevertheless.

After a moment of indecision, you decided it would be best to go check it out. Slipping on your shoes, you left your dorm briskly, being met with the vacant foyer as soon as you stepped outside. Had the others already left, or had they simply chosen to ignore Miu’s request? Either way, you forced yourself to continue towards the computer room, exiting the dormitories to greet the night air. Taking a deep breath, you exhaled feeling calmer than before. Maybe it would be a good idea to start taking walks when you're unable to sleep, you thought.

Much like that of the dormitories, the corridors of the school were empty. Instead of finding the occasional person scattered around the winding halls like you expected, you instead were met with nothing. Clenching your fist, a feeling of unease settled in your stomach, only growing as you got closer to the computer room. What would be waiting for you once you got there?

As you stood before the large double doors, you felt your hand hesitate over the doorknob. Doubt filled your mind, tempting you to turn back in fear of being betrayed, though you tried not to listen as you gripped the handle, pulling one side of the door open to reveal what resided behind it.

Thankfully, most of the others were there too, just as confused and tired as you were. A wave of relief washed over you as you stepped inside, greeting the group with a bleary wave as you moved to stand next to Shuichi, lowering your voice down to a whisper as you asked, “Hey, do you know what's going on here?”

He shook his head, “I thought you would, being the closest to Miu. All she told me was that there was a chance to escape, so I came up here as fast as I could. I think she’s waiting for everyone to arrive before explaining, though.”

“Yeah, she told me the same thing, along with some less-than-appropriate comments. But hey, that’s just how Miu is. So, who else are we waiting on?” you said, scanning the room for any missing faces. For a moment you met eyes with Kokichi, who was staring at you curiously, though just as you had caught him he turned away. Biting your lip, you ignored the exchange and continued looking, noticing the absence of red that you’d often find around Kaito, “Just Maki?”

Shuichi nodded, “Yeah, but she should be here soon. She’s actually a pretty punctual person, I doubt it would take too long before she arrives.”

As if like magic, as soon as he said that the doors swung open, Maki strolling in with a neutral expression as she joined the small crowd, crossing her arms once she came to a stop beside Kaito, “So, what’s this ‘way’ for getting out of here? Is there really a way?”

“Of course there is! Geniuses like me never make mistakes!” Miu exclaimed, her expression matching the confidence of her attitude, “We’re going to another world! A world with no killing games and no Monokuma! In this big-ass computer I found a program you can upload your consciousness into. There’s this device connected to the computer that you put on your head, and it allows you to enter the program!”

Kaito scratched the back of his neck nervously, “A world created by a computer program? So it’s like a virtual reality, right?”

“It’s more than just a virtual reality, it’s a virtual world. Your consciousness will be able to move around as if you were in the real world. That being said, let’s get going!” she explained, motioning towards the seats that surrounded the computer.

Himiko took a wary step backwards, “Huh? Wait, there’s no way we’re going into that virtual world!”

Miu’s face paled as her expression grew more frantic, hugging her arms close to her body, “What!? Why!? You promised we would all come at the same time!”

“Now’s not the time for innuendo’s Miu, this is serious,” you scolded, causing the girl in question to flush, “Actually, I have a question. Assuming we decide to do this, what’s going to happen to our consciousness when we’re inside the computer?”

Before she could answer, Kokichi stole the spotlight, “Oh, we use avatars as our new bodies to link our consciousness to the Virtual World. Miu told me all this boring junk already.”

Miu deflated, but nodded at his explanation, “He’s right. So, in other words, this computer will transfer our consciousness from our bodies and shove ‘em into avatars inside the virtual world, And then, we’ll have new bodies in a new world! A world without murder and Monokuma! And while you’re there, your real body will basically be asleep for the duration. In that sense, it’ll be like a dream. Now that all the boring explanation is done with, let’s go!”

“Like I said, we’re not going. It’s definitely dangerous, and you denying it makes it sound even more dangerous!” Himiko said, her face set with opposition.

Miu widened her eyes, hugging her arms once again, “What!? Am I really that untrustworthy?” she asked, her disposition changing in an instant, “Well then, you’ll be relieved to know that I didn’t even create this virtual world. Someone else made it, apparently.”

Your eyebrows furrowed together in thought; someone else made it? Reluctance filled your mind, if Miu was the creator you would've trusted it more. Knowing the person behind it wasn’t any of you set you on edge, “What? Who made it, then?”

“Oh wow, I’m certainly flattered. All of you are gathered around, talking about my creation,” a cheery voice rang out from behind you. Turning around, you were met with the smiling face of Monokuma, “That’s right, it was me! Now then, allow me to explain! I used a certain program as a template to create the virtual world… and that program is the killing game simulator!”

An uneasy mutter went through the room, anyone who was once on board no longer willing to enter the simulator. In a moment of panic, Miu got everyone’s attention, “Wait! I said wait, dammit! Monokuma may have made it, but I modified it! I pulled an all-nighter deleting anything dangerous from it’s program, so believe me when I say it’s safe!”

“So, what you’re saying is that it was originally a killing game simulator, but not anymore, right?” You asked, still wary about the situation. You wanted to trust her, but this was Monokuma’s creation from the start.

She nodded, “Yeah, I rewrote the program to delete all dangerous objects that could be used as weapons. I wouldn’t let you guys go in here unless I knew it was safe.”

“You know, I think we should trust Miu. We should trust in our friends more!” Kokichi exclaimed, his face lighting up with feigned excitement, “Besides, I have a feeling we’ll find something in that world. I mean, Monokuma created this world, right? Maybe he laid a bait to lure us in! Like a super duper crazy secret hidden in that world! Well, Monokuma? Did you prepare some sort of bait for us?”

Monokuma looked up at everyone, seeming to have only started paying attention to the conversation, “Oh, bait? Yeah, of course I have.  Like Kokichi said, there’s a crazy secret hidden somewhere in the virtual world. It’s… the secret of the outside world.”

Everyone appeared shocked, giving a start as soon as those words escaped Monokuma’s mouth. That is, everyone except Kokichi. His expression was neutral, almost knowing in the way his eyes scanned the room. He had something to do with it, you knew that for a fact. But the real question was, why? Biting the inside of your cheek, you forced yourself to stay level-headed, “The secret of the outside world?”

“Yep! All I can tell you is that if you get your hands on it, you’ll instantly learn what’s happening outside of the academy!” Monokuma responded.

Tsumugi froze up, her face blanching, “Hold on, what’s happening outside? What are you talking about? It’s like he’s saying something is going on out there, but that can’t be, right?”

Monokuma let out a laugh, covering his mouth with his paws, “Is your curiosity piqued? Then you have no choice but to go! If you wanna know what’s going on, entering the simulation is the only option for you kids.”

“Alright…” you started, feeling all eyes turn to you as you spoke. Growing timid under their stare, you tried your best to continue, “I trust Miu, I know she wouldn’t lead us into something dangerous. And this information Monokuma is talking about, if it’s about the outside world then it might help us put an end to the killing game. And if it doesn’t, there’s no harm in at least checking it out, right? Miu already said everything dangerous was removed.”

After you finished, you met eyes with Miu. She looked relieved, though something else was mixed in with her expression. Something you’ve never seen her wear before, an emotion you couldn’t quite place. Maybe it was just her being grateful, or maybe something entirely different. Either way, you gave her a smile; close friends had to stick together.

Noticing the exchange, Kokichi shot you a sly grin, “You took the words right out of my mouth, (y/n). But I agree, I think we should trust Miu and check this place out. And if anything goes wrong, we can just blame it on her!”

“Wait, we shouldn’t! It’s probably all just some trap set by Monokuma, we can’t possibly go into some world made by him,” Tsumugi reasoned.

Kiibo shook his head, “But if there’s even a small chance that we can stop the killing game, we should take it. At least, that’s what my inner voice is telling me. Whenever I’m lost, my inner voice tells me what to do. I have always obeyed that voice, and I will continue to do so. That’s why I’m going into the virtual world!”  

“Then I’m going too. This ‘secret of the outside world’ stuff worries me, but I want to check this world out. Call it a man’s curiosity!” Kaito agreed.

Maki let out a defeated sigh, “The idiot’s at it again, but I guess I’ll be an idiot, too. Are you coming along Shuichi? And don’t say no because it’s dangerous. We’ve been in danger for a while now.”

From beside you, you could see Shuichi’s expression changed. It looked as if he was pondering the circumstances, before finally deciding, “Alright, I’ll go too.”

“Alright! Then let’s get started before you cockroaches change your damn minds!” Miu exclaimed, holding up one of the various helmets and pointing towards it, “First, each of you gotta grab a helmet and plant your ass in one of those seats!”

With a murmur of agreement, everybody situated themselves around the computer, choosing a helmet before sitting down in one of the plush chairs. Ultimately, you stuck beside Shuichi as you took the seat next to him, though you could feel a familiar presence on the other side of you. Without even having to look over, you knew it was Kokichi. Was he trying to keep an eye on you?

Once everyone was situated, Miu continued, “You see those two ports on the back of the visor? That’s where you plug in the two cords that connect you to the computer! The red cord is for consciousness, and the blue cord is for memory. I could start throwin’ down some real fancy techno-jargon, but you idiots wouldn’t get it; all you need to know is that you can’t mix them up. The red cord goes into the right port, and the blue goes in the left, you got it?”

“Out of curiosity, what happens if you switch the cords?” Kiibo asked, sounding what everyone was thinking.

Miu shrugged, “I dunno, I’ve never done that before. It probably gets all glitchy or something! Maybe you’ll become a vegetable, maybe you’ll body-swap with someone, who knows?”

He nodded, nervously inserting the cords into the helmet on his lap, holding it up in front of him soon after, “Well, I guess we’ll just have to be careful not to switch them, then. Is this correct?”

After situating everything with your helmet, you looked across the room to Kiibo who was eyeing his nervously, “Yeah you got it, so don’t worry about it.”

“Okay, is everyone ready!? The last step is to put the helmet on your dumb heads and press the button near your temple, and then you’ll be whisked away to the virtual world! A paradise more beautiful than the real world, where there’s no murder and no Monokuma!” Miu explained, grinning from ear to ear, “By the way, I tweaked your avatars to make ‘em resemble you guys. In fact, compared to your current looks, they’re a major improvement!”

Ignoring her last comment, Kaito held the helmet up near his face as he prepared to put it on, “Alright, everybody! Let’s go!

Letting out a deep breath, you placed the helmet over your head, being enveloped in complete darkness. A chill ran down your spine as your senses were disconnected from the outside world, though you shook it off and reached up to press the button near your temple. As soon as you did so a bright light blinded you, fading away moments later to reveal the other world.

When you could finally see, the sights around you were shocking, to say the least. It looked as if you were entered into some old RPG Maker game, complete with small avatars and retro-looking graphics. Another shock was the room you ended up in, a comfy foyer decorated with random paintings and expensive rugs, completed by the old rotary phone sitting on the desk opposite to you. If you didn’t think the program was old before, you definitely thought so now.

As you examined your surroundings you couldn’t help but voice your thoughts, letting out a sigh as you ran your hand across the wall, “So this is the virtual world? I’m very… underwhelmed.”

“I know, these graphics are really disappointing! How’s this supposed to be better than the real world?” Himiko agreed, staring down at her appearance in annoyance, “These avatars are really disappointing, too! I wanted to have the face of a supermodel!”

You let out a laugh, “I thought you liked your face? What happened?”

Before she could respond, a small ‘ding’ sounded from the front of the foyer, Maki appearing from a beam of white light. She took a look around, similar to how you did, before deflating, “I want to go back.”

Two more flashes of light appeared, the same sound accompanying them as Kokichi and Gonta appeared. The former looked down at his avatar, muttering to himself before kicking Kiibo hard in the leg. Kiibo flinched, letting out a yelp of pain as he stumbled backwards, “Ouch! What did you do that for!?”

“Oh, so that hurt. That’s pretty impressive. If you felt pain, then that means our senses are connected right now,” he mused, letting out a chuckle at Kiibo’s anger. Though you tried to stifle it, you couldn’t help but do so as well.

Finally, much later than everyone else had arrived, Miu entered the simulator. It was hard to tell the exact expression she was wearing, though when she spoke the tone of her voice made it all too obvious, “This place is so great, I come here all the time. It’s way better than the real world!”

“Anyways, what do you mean our senses are connected? Miu, I need an explanation,” Maki demanded.

Miu shied away, averting her gaze to the ground, “Huh? Didn’t I tell you? When your avatar receives any sensory input, electrical signals are sent to your brain. Your brain then interprets those signals as if it experienced that sensory input for real. So if you’re not really being hurt, the brain still senses pain.”

“And since it won’t leave any bruises, you can hit all you want!” Kokichi said, aiming another kick at Kiibo shortly after.

You rolled your eyes, though you realized too late no one would notice considering the state of your avatars. Letting out a sigh in its place, you began, “That’s some twisted logic, Kokichi. Just leave poor Kiibo alone.”

Before he could shoot back a retort, Shuichi cleared his throat to get everyone’s attention, “So, how exactly are we supposed to find the secret of the outside world? We don’t even know where to start looking.”

“I’ve got a map I can show you guys later, but first I gotta give you a quick warning about this world,” Miu said, “Well, it’s not actually that big of a deal, but objects here are unbreakable. There are no rules here that govern whether objects could break, so any object, no matter what it is, can never be broken. For the same reason, your avatars can’t get injured. You’ll still feel pain, though.”

You nodded in understanding, “Alright, that seems logical enough. Is that all we need to know about this world, Miu?”

“Yeah, that’s everything. Now let me show you guys to that map, it’s posted on the wall outside of this room. Just follow me,” she prompted, heading towards the doors at the end of the foyer. Everyone followed close behind her, you included, seeing a rush of black as you passed through the doorway.

Once it faded you were met with the main hall, still a little disoriented from the transition. It must’ve been part of the game, you figured, though the sudden darkness was enough to make you dizzy. Thankfully, it subsided just as quickly as it came, allowing you to focus on the scene before you. Everyone was crowded around a spot on the wall where two sheets of paper were posted, one slightly larger than the other, both detailing different parts of the world. Without even having to get a closer look, you could tell they were maps.

Shortly after everyone got a look at them, Kokichi and Gonta parted from the group to search on their own as the rest of you went up to the roof, much to your distaste. Something was definitely up with Kokichi, and if you thought he was plotting something before, you knew for sure he was now. But, before you could say anything he was already gone, leaving you to follow everyone upstairs with a bitter sigh.

As soon as you reached the top, the sight outside shocked you. There was snow everywhere, coating the roof and the ground below in a thick blanket. It was a stark contrast to the courtyard back in the academy, though you welcomed the change. Having that change of scenery, it made you feel more sane than when you were in the academy.

With a grin you took a handful of snow, pressing it into a messy sphere like you had done many times before, throwing it right at Shuichi. But unlike you imagined, instead of the ball breaking apart on contact, the snow bounced right off the side of his head, causing him to flinch in confusion, “Hey, why did you do that, (y/n)!?”

“Sorry! I thought it was going to act like a regular snowball!” you giggled, walking up and grabbing the sphere off the ground, throwing it in the air above you before catching it in your palm, “Did it hurt you?”

He seemed embarrassed, looking down at the ground, “Oh no, no it didn’t. It was just a snowball, afterall…”

Letting out a laugh, you ruffled the back of his hair before starting your search of the roof, looking at everything on and around it. There wasn’t much to begin with, the most exciting thing being the storage closet, though it did give you some information about the simulator nonetheless. The closet itself was nearly empty, probably cleaned of all the weapons that could’ve been stored in there by Miu, and a quick look through the telescope gave you an idea of how the world was divided. In all, it was pretty useful.

But the search didn’t last very long, as Miu started to grow impatient to show everyone the rest of the virtual world. So, after a few minutes she was herding everyone back down the stairs and out the front doors of the mansion. Like you saw up on the roof, leading from the door was a path, clear of any snow. It seemed as if the flakes cascading from the sky refused to land on it, instead disappearing onto the ground beside it.

A short way down the path was a river, the beginning of a bridge starting out on your side of it, though it failed to continue to the other end. Raising an eyebrow, you stared at it in confusion, “How are we supposed to cross this? There’s no bridge here at all, and please don’t tell me we have to swim.”

“You can’t go in the river in the virtual world, but you wouldn’t even need to anyway. I told you before, we already got a bridge,” Miu huffed, puffing out her cheeks in annoyance, “There’s a wider river downstream that connects to this one, and next to it there’s a long signboard that says ‘Mirai Hills'. It was meant for the mansion, but we can use it as a makeshift bridge.”

Kiibo nodded in understanding, “So we just need to get that signboard?”

Miu paused, looking around the group for a brief moment, “Yeah, but I’ll ask the masochist to go get it! He just loves being bossed around!” She suddenly turned to Shuichi, pointing her index finger at his chest, “Shuichi! Go get the signboard!”

“What? Me?” he asked, his eyes wide in shock, “Why?”

“Miu’s right, you’re a total masochist. So get get it,” Himiko agreed, eliciting a chuckle from you. With a defeated sigh, Shuichi reluctantly parted from the group in the direction of the signboard, disappearing out of sight soon after.

A minute later he returned, the signboard in his arms nearly the size of his avatar. Carefully, he stepped onto the beginning of the bridge, placing the board across the rest of the way so it fit perfectly over the river. The sight alone made you wary, a fear of it breaking creeping up in your mind that didn’t seem to go away no matter how many times you reminded yourself that objects couldn’t break.

As Shuichi stepped away from the makeshift bridge, a gentle crunching of the snow behind you sounded out. Turning around, you were met with Kokichi and Gonta, both running up to meet everyone. With a relieved sigh, Kokichi began to slow down, “Oh, there’s a bridge! Thank god! I gave up when I realized I had no way to cross the river.”

“Where were you and what were you doing!?” Kaito asked, the face of his avatar going red to express anger.

Kokichi shrugged, “Oh, I was just in the forest over there looking for the secret of the outside world. But, I couldn’t find anything. Welp, I wasn’t expecting it to be that easy anyway. Right, Gonta?”

The man in question averted his gaze to the ground, his eyes downtrodden as he responded, “Yeah…”

“Perfect! It’s more convenient when we’re all together anyway. Now let’s cross this damned river already,” Miu said, ignoring Gonta’s state and crossing the bridge with no hesitation, waiting for everyone else on the other side.

The sign itself was only wide enough to fit one person at a time, meaning you would have to cross it alone. Taking a deep breath, you coaxed yourself onto the seemingly unsteady structure and carefully walked across it, making sure to keep your balance until you reached the other side. It amazed you how Miu could do something like that without even worrying when a knot of anxiety formed in the pit of your stomach as soon as you set foot on the sign.

Once you were on the safety of the solid ground, you beckoned for the others to follow suit. They all seemed to have the same uncertainty as you did, Himiko even holding her arms out beside her like a little kid on a balancing beam, but eventually they all made it over just fine.

Miu crossed her arms in impatience as she started in the opposite direction of the mansion, yelling to the group over her shoulder, “Come on. Hurry it up, you losers! The chapel is right over here, so follow me!”

Obliging, you, along with everybody else, followed her down the short path with the occasional annoyed comment, Kokichi running ahead of everyone. As you approached the structure, you had to appreciate the architecture, computerized or not. It was smaller, though the stone walls gave it an antique feel, coupled with the intricate design carved into the material above the large double doors. Unlike the roof of the mansion, this one was sloped with brick red tiles protecting the top.

Following everyone’s lead, you made your way inside, being met with the cluttered mess that littered the pews. Boxes were strewn everywhere, some of them open as objects spilt out of the tops; ornaments and garland filling them to the brim. It was, for a lack of better words, chaos. How would anybody be able to find something within the mayhem of holiday decorations and trash?

As you took a tentative look around, Miu caught everyone’s attention, “Now that we’ve checked out all the important places in the virtual world, let’s split up and look for this fucking secret!”

“I wonder what the secret of the outside world could be…” Himiko mused, her voice trailing off, “Monokuma didn’t tell us anything about it, either. Are we even going to be able to find it when we don’t know what it is?”

Miu shook her head, “There’s no point in asking whether we’ll find it or not! We just gotta do it! And if we keep an eye out for anything suspicious, it’s bound to turn up.”

“Alright, so who’s going to decide how we split up?” Maki asked, her voice dull with apparent boredom. You couldn’t blame her, all this talk and no action was getting tiring.

“I’m going to decide that! I know this world better than any of you, so it only makes sense,” she reasoned, her gaze scanning over the whole group, “Kaito and (y/n), I want you two to search the rooftop of the mansion! Kokichi, you’re in charge of the salon, so don’t mess it up, and we need about three more people to search the mansion. Doesn’t matter who.”

Before anyone else could, Kokichi spoke up, “Then Gonta should come with me. We can search the mansion’s surroundings, since no one else wants to deal with the cold.”

Tsumugi deflated,  “So, you’re just going to use Gonta again. I’ve decided! I’m going that way too! I have to make sure you’re not abusing poor Gonta! And let’s see, we still need one more person to help out in the mansion… Shuichi, how about you come with us?”

“Um, okay,” Shuichi agreed, nodding his head in confirmation. You could see him shoot a glance over at Maki, her features contorted into one of anger. A pang of sympathy went through you. She must not have liked being alone.

Now that everything was situated, Miu’s avatar did a small jump of excitement, “Alright! Everyone else can stick with me here in the chapel and look for the secret!”

“And our group can go back to the mansion. Let’s find that secret before these losers,” Kokichi prompted, making it sound almost as if it were a game. In a way, it was clever, having it sound like something fun to take away from the tediosity of it all. Leave it to Kokichi to make something this serious into a game.

Taking that as a sign to disband, your group began to file out of the chapel, a hand grabbing your wrist stopping you before you could follow. Miu pulled you back towards her, into a corner where no one could hear the two of you, speaking in a low whisper, “Hey, so I need to talk to you about something really important. Is it alright if I meet you up on the roof in a little bit?”

“Oh, yeah. Yeah that’s fine,” you said, though you couldn’t help but feel wary. Why would she need to talk now? Raising an eyebrow, you continued, “What do you need to talk about, though? Couldn’t you just wait until we got out of here?”

Just as you said that, a flash of violet crossed your line of sight. Kokichi had moved from his spot to stand by the door, looking over to you curiously as he waited, most likely trying to tune into your conversation. Ignoring him, you averted your attention back to Miu, who shook her head, “No, it can’t wait. It’s really important, I promise.”

“Alright, then. You know where to find me,” you agreed, giving her a warm grin. Even now, in the midst of a killing game, it was still hard for you to deny your friends.

She returned the smile, allowing you to continue on your way back to the mansion. As you were leaving the chapel, however, Kokichi was still standing in the doorway, falling into step beside you as you left into the outdoors. Nonchalantly, he placed his hands behind his head, “So, what was that all about?”

“Nothing, really. Why, were you trying to eavesdrop and failed?” you teased, rolling your eyes, “Oh, and did you finally decide to stop ignoring me?”

He dropped his hands, though the smirl he wore on his face was still there, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. But I did eavesdrop, and I never fail. I just wanted to hear it from your mouth, that’s all.”

“God, you’re such a liar,” you growled, speeding up your pace as you approached the bridge.

He followed suit, catching up after you crossed the river, “What? Are you trying to run away from me now? Is my little (y/n) angry at her boyfriend?”

You let out an annoyed groan, crossing your arms, “Yes, your ‘little (y/n)’ is angry. Let’s just get to the mansion already, Kaito is probably waiting for me and I don’t want to make him search alone.”

“Whoops! Shit, my hand slipped!” A voice from behind you exclaimed. Turning around, you were met with Miu’s nervous form standing on her side of the river, the signboard to the bridge gone. Instantly your eyes flashed downstream, watching as the current whisked it away. At the sight, Miu hung her head in shame, “Ugh, I just came here to see you guys off and my hand accidentally slipped!”

Kokichi eyed her skeptically, “Nice try, but I know a liar when I see one. That was on purpose. What I want to know is why?”

She froze up, her face going pink, “It wasn’t on purpose at all! It was an accident! You keep talkin’ shit like that, you’ll only ever attract ugly bitches! Do you wanna spend the rest of your life surrounded by ugly bitches, dumbass?”

Before either of you could get in a word she ran back towards the chapel in a frantic state, nearly tripping over her own feet. With a self-satisfied grin Kokichi turned to you, “So, you _still_ don’t wanna tell me what you two were talking about? I think it’s pretty fishy that she did something like that, did your little conversation have anything to do with it?”

“No, not at all. I don’t understand why she would knock down the sign on purpose,” you explained, scratching the back of your head, “Especially considering what we were talking about, it makes no sense.”

“Oh? Please do elaborate,” he teased, taking a step closer to you as he batted his eyelashes.

You pushed him away, starting towards the mansion once again, “Nope. Why do you want to know so badly, anyways? It has nothing to do with you.”

“Because,” he started, dragging out the ending as he ran to catch up with your pace, “It has something to do with you, and anything that has to do with you makes me curious. Doesn’t that make me a great boyfriend?”

You lightly shoved him, “No, but it makes you a nosy one. Now stop talking so openly about our relationship, we’re right outside the mansion. I don’t want the others to overhear you.”

He stopped right before the doors, raising an eyebrow, “Wow, someone’s uncharacteristically worried. Fine, I guess I’ll shut up, but don’t be surprised if I come to visit you at some point. It’s probably going to get really boring stuck up there with Kaito.”

“Hey, Kaito isn’t bad at all!” you protested, stepping in front of him and pulling the doors open. From there, the two of you parted, him heading to the salon as you trudged upstairs, growing more reluctant as you got closer to the top. The roof was nearly empty, there really wouldn’t be much to search for one person, let alone two. But, if worst comes to worst you could always just hang out with Kaito after you were done to kill time.

Finally, after what felt like a mile of stairs, you made it to the top, pushing open the door and walking out onto the roof, “Hey, sorry I took so long. Miu held me back for a bit, she wanted to talk to me before I came over here.”

Kaito looked up from his spot at the telescope, shooting you a grin, “It’s no problem, there’s not really much to search up here anyways. But hey, you two are really close, right?”

“Oh yeah, we’re really good friends. It’s been that way ever since the first trial, I spent some time with her after we got the second motivation and ever since we’ve gotten really close. It’s funny, she spends so much time in my lab with me, I swear I should just give it to her. She says she likes how ‘calming’ it is,” you reminisced, leaning against the wall beside him that surrounded the rooftop.

He seemed intrigued, putting the telescope down to give you his full attention, “Huh, well it must be pretty freaking calming if someone like _Miu_ can call it that. Maybe I should stop by sometime, I’ve been needing something like that for a while.”

“You should! I’ll even give you a free hypnotherapy session on the house,” you joked, flipping open the charm on your necklace for emphasis, “I’ve been told I’m really good at those.”

He let out a laugh, taking the timepiece in his hand as he examined it, “Maybe I’ll take you up on that offer, just promise you won’t make me bark like a d-”

Before he could finish, a beam of white light surrounded him, completely enveloping his body in it’s illuminecence. When it faded away he was nowhere to be found, stagnant air replacing his presence. You looked around, frantically searching for him on and off the roof, but it was like he had just disappeared. Did the computer somehow glitch, or did something more sinister happen?

Just as you had given up, the door leading to the stairs swung open, but instead of Kaito walking through the threshold, it was Miu. You quirked an eyebrow, pushing off the wall to approach her, “Hey, the weirdest thing just happened. Kaito completely disappeared, I think he might’ve been logged out or something,” you rambled, pausing when you noticed her nervous expression, “Hey, how did you even get over here? Did you find the signboard?”

“Oh! Um, yeah… yeah I did. But Kaito getting logged out? That’s weird, like really weird,” she rambled, her voice stuttering as she averted her gaze to the ground.

You placed your hand on her shoulder, and though you were trying to comfort her you could feel a knot of anxiety settle in the pit of your stomach. Brushing it off, you started, “Hey, are you alright? You’re acting weird, did something happen?”

She froze at you touch, pushing you off soon after, “No, I’m fine, I swear. I just… fuck, this is a lot harder than I thought it would be.”

“What is?” you asked, taking a step back from her as the knot in your stomach got tighter, your heart speeding up as every second passed.

Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes now, her voice cracking as she spoke, “I… I’m really sorry (y/n).” She pulled a hammer out from her pocket, her hands trembling as she held it by her side, “You’re a really g-good friend… the best friend I’ve ever had. You let m-me be myself… e-express myself however the fuck I wanted. But… but…”

She was sobbing now, trying her best to stifle the tears with the back of her sleeve, though it failed to be effective. Taking another step back, you defensively held your arms out in front of you, “Miu-”

“I need to get out of here, (y/n)! I can’t stand it anymore, being stuck in this place is driving me crazy! I need to escape-”

“Miu, please!” you begged. She was getting closer, every step you took backwards she would take two closer. In any minute she would be on you, ready to strike with her hammer. You were trapped, the door was too far away for you to run, and the roof of the mansion was too high for you to jump from. It seemed that either way, you would be dead.

She sniffled, almost like a small child who had their toy taken away, wiping her eyes with the back of her arm, “And y-you’re… you’re the only one who would trust me. I-If I asked anyone else, they would never agree t-to meet me alone. Please… I didn’t want it to be you, b-but I had no other choice!”

Your back hit the wall as she cornered you, her fingers turning white as they gripped the handle of the hammer. This was it, this was the end for you. Tears stung the corners of your eyes, one escaping and falling down your cheek as you spoke, “Please, Miu. I’m begging you, please put the hammer down.”

“I’m so sorry… (y/n),” she breathed out, her voice just barely a whisper as she stood just inches away from you, brandishing the hammer above her head with both hands. You were completely helpless. The only thing you could do was close your eyes, bracing yourself for the inevitable impact.

But… it never came.

In its place, a choked gasp sounded from in front of you, the clatter of something metal hitting the ground shortly after. Eyes flying open, you were met with a scene you never wanted to see unfold. Miu was clawing at her neck as a white cloth was pulled tight around it, Gonta standing behind her as he gripped each end in his hands. In a moment of impetuosity you rushed forward to free her, though a pair of slender arms wrapped around your waist to restrain you.

“Let me go! Let _her_ go, please, you’re hurting her!” you screamed, your voice cracking as you tried to free yourself from the stranger’s grip, but it was no use. Their hold on you was tight, unrelenting no matter how much you kicked and scratched, pleading for Gonta to release Miu. But by the time their grip loosened, it was too late. Her body collapsed onto the ground like a ragdoll, limp as the life drained out of her.

Falling to your knees, a sob wracked your entire from as you buried your face in your hands. You couldn’t bring yourself to look at her any longer, her pallid skin and dull eyes that seemed to stare right into yours, the faintest trace of a smile on his lips. There was no way that Miu was actually gone, she couldn't be. She was too smart to die, or at least that’s what she always told you.

Suddenly, a presence joined you, a familiar set of arms tugging you into an embrace. Without even thinking, you buried your face into their chest, breathing in the faint scent of their cologne as they soothingly stroked your hair. After a moment, their voice rang out quietly, “Gonta, go clean this up, alright? I’ll take care of (y/n).”

“Alright. Did… did Gonta do the right thing?” he asked, his tone wavering slightly as he spoke.

You could feel the person holding you nod, “Yes. She could’ve killed (y/n) if you didn’t stop her, or she could’ve killed someone else in the future. You did the right thing, Gonta.”

Those words made you choke back another sob, hugging the person before you tighter as the sound of heavy footsteps faded away in the distance. They froze in their spot, doing the same shortly after, holding you securely as they rested their head on top of yours. It felt like hours of silence between you two until he finally spoke, pressing a soft kiss to the top of your head, “I’m so glad I got here on time. I wasn’t lying when I said I heard a bit of your conversation with Miu, and I got a really bad feeling about it. So, as soon as I found Gonta we came up here.”

You pulled away, letting out a sniffle as you met Kokichi’s gaze. To your surprise, his eyes were bloodshot, the faintest sign of tears building at the corners. Though your voice was hoarse from yelling, you spoke anyways, “I thought you never cried.”

“I don’t,” he insisted, wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve, “You’re just imagining things since you’re in shock.”

Pulling his arm away from his face, he cupped your cheeks in both of his hands, swiping his thumbs under your eyes. A look of pain flashed across his features, staying as he whispered, “I’m sorry. I wish… I really wish it didn’t have to be like this.”

“Is she…” you trailed off, roughly biting the inside of your cheek to keep yourself composed, “Is she really dead?”

He paled, answering only with a solemn nod before pulling you back in for another embrace. This time, however, you didn’t cry, instead rubbing his back soothingly as you tried to steady your breathing. Even though he always wore this villian persona, you knew  how badly this was actually affecting him. So, even if it was just for a moment, you had to pretend you were alright and be there for him.

But ultimately, the act didn’t last long. You were on the verge of a mental breakdown, only worsening the longer you stayed in the virtual world; you needed to leave. Pulling away from Kokichi one final time, you shakily forced yourself into a standing position, placing one of your hands on the wall for support. Confused, Kokichi followed your actions, a bit more stable as he grabbed your free arm, “What are you doing?”

“I’m sorry, but I want to leave. I’m going to sign out, I just want to go to my room right now,” you explained, your tone trembling just as much as you body was.

“Wait, you can’t. If you sign out right now, everyone is going to think you’re the one who did it,” he said, panic present on his features, “Come on, I’ll take you somewhere else, but I don’t want the others accusing you.”

You broke free from his grasp, moving towards the door your own, “I don't care if they accuse me! I don’t care if they vote for me in that damn courtroom! My best friend just died, I couldn’t care less about this fucking killing game. All I want is to be alone right now, alone in my room so I can process everything that’s happening.”

Without waiting for a response, you flung open the door to the staircase, haphazardly bounding down them and towards the salon. Your legs still felt weak as you put your weight on them, but that hardly mattered anymore. The only thing that you cared about was the phone in your hand, holding it up to your ear as you spoke your name, being engulfed in a stream of white moments later.

 

* * *

 

After the trial, you refused to leave your dorm. Hours had passed as you laid on your bed, curled up with your knees at your chest, a warm blanket covering you up to your chin. The pillow below your head was damp as you stared at the wall opposite of you, feeling as the occasional tear escaped your eyes. Your head was in shambles, memories of her clouded with your intrusive thoughts. She was never coming back.

When you missed the first meal, nobody batted an eye. Mixed with the guilt of ever accusing you during the trial, the others just assumed you needed some time to yourself. But as the day progressed and you still refused to show your face, they began to worry. When dinner rolled around and you failed to show up for the third time that day, however, they knew they had to do something.

You didn’t know how late it was, all you knew was the constant pain in your stomach and the mental fatigue that obscured your mind. It was as if you were stuck in limbo, craving any type of comfort from your peers, but every time you tried to move it felt like a weight was sitting on your chest. After the first few tries you gave up, succumbing to the force that pulled you down, despite the protest of your aching stomach.

Eventually, the doorbell to your dorm sounded through the room, loud and clear to your ears. With all the force you could muster you tried to push yourself up, eventually making it into a sitting position before the person got impatient, the rattling of your doorknob ringing out a few feet away. After a minute the door swung open, the silhouette of Kokichi outlined in the harsh light shining from the foyer. He allowed himself in, closing the door behind him as he set something down on your coffee table, taking a seat next to you on the bed.

Silence fell over the two of you as he took one end of the blanket wrapped around your shoulders, wrapping it around his as well. His hand found yours, thumb caressing the back of your knuckles as he began, “How are you feeling?”

“I… I don’t know,” you mumbled, taking a deep breath, “I feel weird. I want to go out there and talk to people, take my mind off of her and pretend everything is fine, but I just can’t move. And… she’s the only thing I can think about. I’ve never lost a friend like this before, I don’t even know what's going on. Is this normal?”

He went quiet for a moment in thought, “I’ve never been through this before either, but I know you’re not being irrational. Today, after Gonta died it was really hard for me to leave my room, as ridiculous as it sounds. Well, that and the fact that I punched Kaito.”

“I thought you didn’t care that much about Gonta? What happened?” you asked, scooching closer to him and laying your head on his shoulder.

He returned the action, resting his on top of yours as he tightened his grip on your hand, “You should know how much I lie by now. He wasn’t a bad person in the slightest. I actually really liked spending time with him, and not just because he was gullible. It sucks… the closest thing I had to an actual friend in this place is gone now.”

You pulled away, instead tugging him into an embrace. He buried his head into your shoulder as you spoke, your tone wavering slightly, “I’m sorry, but I really don’t know what to say. I would tell you that everything's going to be alright, but that would be a blatant lie,” you admitted, letting out a weak laugh as your eyes began to sting, “But, just know that I’m always going to be on your side. I’m always going to be here, I promise.”

“You better mean that, because I’m gonna hold you up to that promise. If you die, I’m going to personally pay Heaven a visit and kick your ass,” he said, his voice muffled by the fabric of your shirt.

A smile tugged at your lips, “Why are you so sure I’m getting into Heaven?”

“Because, you’re _way_ too good of a person to go to Hell. Me on the other hand, I have a freaking V.I.P. pass to hang with the Devil,” he joked, lifting his head up to meet your gaze. His eyes were bloodshot, just like they were on the roof, “I swear, you’re too good for someone like me.”

You nodded your head in a teasing manner, cupping his cheeks in your hands and pressing a kiss to his nose, “I know, but you’re cute so I’ll let it slide. Besides, I’m pretty sure you’re the only person who can make me laugh in a situation like this.”

Instead of his usual cocky grin, the expression that graced his features was one of guilt. He pulled your hands away from his face, holding them in his own, “No, I really don’t deserve you. I’m sorry for how I’ve been recently, how I’ve been ignoring you. I can’t tell you why, but please know that I’m sorry for anything that happens in the future.”

“What do you mean? Kokichi, what are you planning?” you asked, concern riddled in your tone. If he was apologizing for something, the consequences for it had to be detrimental.

“I told you, that’s a secret. But don’t worry, everything will be okay,” he said, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to your lips. When he pulled away, he smiled sweetly. It was unlike any sort of expression you’ve ever seen from him, “And… I want you to know that I love you, alright?”

Your eyes widened as your breathing hitched, did he really just say that? Feeling your cheeks heat up, you tugged him into another kiss, “I love you too, idiot. But don’t distract me from what we’re talking about. If you’re planning something that could get you hurt, I want to know what it is.”

He shook his head, taking the blanket off from his shoulders before standing up, “Sorry, but I gotta keep this under wraps. I’ll be back in a bit, though.” He motioned over to the coffee table, “I brought you some food, it’s nothing compared to the stuff Kirumi used to make, but at least it’s something. So please eat, you haven’t had anything all day.”

Before you could respond he left, leaving you alone to process what he said. At this point, there was no doubting that he’s up to something. Something dangerous. It killed you not knowing what it was, but the least you could do was follow what he asked of you. Pulling yourself up from the bed, you felt your legs grow weak from under you as you made your way to the coffee table, dropping into a sitting position in front of the tray Kokichi had left.

It was nothing amazing, just a sandwich and some fruit, but the thought of him going out of his way to prepare a meal for you was enough to bring a grin to your lips. With heavy arms you picked up one half of the sandwich, a growl sounding from your stomach as soon as you took a bite. Unable to help yourself, you took another bite, and then another shortly after. You barely had time to chew as you scarfed down the food, the pain in your stomach slowly easing with each swallow.

In mere minutes the food was gone from your plate, the strength returning to your limbs as you pulled yourself up with the tray in your hands, prepared to take it back down to the dining hall. Just as you reached the door, however, the familiar tone of the doorbell rang out for the second time that day. Balancing the tray on your hip, you opened answered it curiously, being met with the sympathetic face of Kiibo.

You raised an eyebrow but allowed him in, setting the tray down, “Hey, what’s up? I don’t usually get many visits from you.”

“Oh, well Kokichi asked me to talk to you. He said since I was closer with Miu than he was, that I might be of more of a comfort,” he explained, letting out a shy laugh, “I didn’t know he could actually care about someone’s well being.”

You took a seat at the edge of your bed, motioning for him to do the same, “You’d be surprised. He’s… interesting, to say the least. But, I’m actually glad you’re here. How are you feeling about this whole thing?”

He sat down beside you, questioningly pointing to himself, “Me?”

“Yeah, you. You were her friend too, you can talk about how you feel. I mean, I’ve had a whole day to sit in here and think, you deserve to grieve too. So don’t be afraid to talk, I’m here to listen. We can help each other,” you said, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

He let out a sigh, looking to you with relief. You guessed he had been holding everything since after the trial, afraid of bothering anyone. But when he spoke, you could tell the fear had dissipated, “I just… I think I miss her. This feeling is new, I don’t really know what to make of it, but I think I really miss her.”

“I do too.”

 

_You were shaking everywhere, a cold breeze blowing through the night air that your jacket alone couldn’t stifle. But the reason you were trembling wasn’t due to the weather, nor to the short skirt on your legs that fluttered with every gust of wind. The real reason, you didn’t want to think about, though you knew_ he _would figure it out in no time. He had a talent for reading people, especially you._

_Reaching a hand up to the door before you, your knuckles gently rapped against the wooden surface, waiting for a response. You felt bad going to him so late at night, even though you knew his parents would welcome you anyways, it still felt like you were disturbing them._

_After a minute of waiting you were about to knock again, that is, until the door swung open to reveal the tired face of your best friend. He rubbed his eyes blearily, clad in a loose shirt and baggy sweatpants; he must have just woken up. With a raised eyebrow, he began, “(y/n)? What are you doing here? It’s like one in the morning.”_

_“I’m sorry…” you trailed off, your gaze shifting to the ground. Maybe you should’ve just went home, to lay in your bed and bottle everything up as you tried to forget about what happened just a half an hour beforehand._

_He took a step closer to you, leaning down to get a better look at your face. Your mascara was smudged under your eyes, which were bloodshot, and a purple bruise was beginning to form on the right side of your jaw. Grabbing your hand, he pulled you inside, his voice harsh as he spoke, “What happened? Who did this to you!?”_

_“I… I was at the party and… and there were these guys…” you trailed off, your voice catching in your throat. Tears welled up in the corners of your eyes, and though you tried to stifle them, he noticed._

_He swiped his thumbs across your cheeks, his hands falling to grip your shoulders soon after, “(y/n), did they-”_

_“No, no, I got away before they could do anything bad. But one of them hit me, another tore my shirt… I’m sure they were just drunk, I’m fine. I shouldn’t even be bothering you with this,” you explained, directing your gaze to the ground._

_Without a word he led you to the couch, allowing you to sit before disappearing down the hallway, his footsteps fading as he ventured further into the house. A moment later he returned, the large fluffy duvet from his bed gripped in his arms. Carefully, he wrapped half of it around your shoulders, taking the seat beside you and tugging the other half over his, enveloping you both in it’s warmth._

_“Never, and I mean never, feel like you can’t talk to me. I’m not lying when I say I’ll always be here for you. So don’t be an idiot, I know this isn’t something that should be swept under the rug,” he explained, putting his arm around you and allowing for you to rest your head on his shoulder, “Who were they?”_

_You let out a sniffle, allowing the tears to flow from your cheeks, “I don’t know, just some random guys from our school. I don’t even know their names, but they were probably in with the popular kids. God, I wish I could just leave and get away from it all. I hate the kids at our school, if they aren’t sexually harassing me they’re ignoring everything that's going on. This happened in front of almost everyone at the party, and the others did nothing to stop it. Even when I got hit.”_

_His hand soothingly rubbed your arm, his voice calming you as he spoke, “I know, they all suck. If I could, you know I would fight every single one of them for you.” You let out a weak giggle before he continued, “Trust me, I’d do anything to get us both out of that damned school, but for now we just have to power through it until we graduate.”_

_“I wish we didn’t have to.”_

_“I know, me neither. But at least we have each other to keep ourselves sane. And just know, if the option ever arises, I’m doing everything in my power to get us both out of there.”_

 

_Eight/Seventeen_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So fun fact, I usually like to read dialogue out loud to see if it works or not, and for the parts leading up to Miu's death I actually started crying.


	8. Bereavement

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh I'm getting so close to the end and it's killing me. This is by far my favorite chapter though, so I hope you all love it as well!

_It was getting late, night swiftly approaching as the sun began to set over the horizon. Winter had just swept down over your city, blanketing the streets with the first snow of the season. The flakes were light and fluffy, swirling in the cool wind before hitting the ground. There was only supposed to be a few inches that night, but as you stared outside you knew the forecast had been wrong. After just a few hours the snow was almost up to your porch, and showed no sign of stopping anytime soon._

_Normally you wouldn’t have much of a care, typically filled with excitement for the likelihood of a snow day the following morning, but this night was different. As you drew the curtains over your window you shot a glance behind you, breaking into laughter at the sight before you. Kokichi was standing in the middle of your living room, an old shirt of your fathers hanging from his torso. It was large and baggy, the bottom ending just below his knees._

_“(y/n), I don’t think this is going to work,” he said, flapping around the long sleeves for good measure, “As funny as this would be to sleep in, I don’t want to freaking suffocate myself with all this extra fabric. I think I’m just gonna borrow one of your shirts.”_

_“Wait, wait! Before you go let me take a picture!” you exclaimed, pulling your phone out of your pocket. He grinned, striking into a pose before you could even open Snapchat. Aiming the camera at him, you pressed the circular button at the bottom, hearing the satisfying ‘click’ of the picture being taken, “Alright, I got it!”_

_“Good, send that to me,” he said, leaving to change in your room. Letting out a sigh, you plopped down on the couch, propping your legs up on the end._

_Yeah, this wasn’t like any ordinary night. Kokichi had come over that morning before the storm hit, and by the time he was ready to leave the roads were so covered that nobody could drive in them. Your mother, on the other hand, was staying at a hotel near her work, while your father was gone on a business trip down south._

_So now it was just you and Kokichi, forced into an impromptu sleepover until everything cleared the next day._

_It wasn’t so bad, and you certainly weren’t complaining, but the thought of spending the night alone with him made your heart race. You didn’t exactly know why, and in all honesty you didn’t want to. Ignoring the thumping of your heartbeat, you grabbed the remote from your TV and switched it on to your favorite channel._

_At the sound of the TV turning on, Kokichi came running out of your room. His appearance was a lot better than before, one of your old t-shirts fitted comfortably over his torso and your favorite pair of sweatpants on his legs. He jumped onto the couch, spreading out beside you so that your shoulders were touching, “Did it start yet!?”_

_“Not yet, but it will in a few minutes. Right now they’re just showing highlights of the last season,” you explained, pointing to the TV where various scenes flashed across the screen, “Oh, I loved that part!”_

_He nodded, watching for a moment before leaning his head on your shoulder. You went quiet, face going hot as you processed what happened. Hesitantly, you placed you head on top of his._

_Suddenly, he gestured to the monitor where a large cast of teenagers sat on screen. His voice was dead serious as he spoke, his tone filled with that of realization, “You know, (y/n), we could do this. The next time they have auditions, we should try out.”_

_“...Yeah,” you agreed, a smile growing on your face to match his, “Yeah, we really should.”_

 

Ever since the talk you had in your room, Kokichi seemed to vanish. He promised he would come back to visit you later, but for days he was nowhere to be seen. The others didn’t seem to have much of a care beyond worry for his trickery, though concern riddled your mind. He was the last person you could actually trust in this game, and now he was gone without a trace. Was this what he apologized for?

The others began to notice your reclusive attitude a day after Miu’s death, when you finally left your dorm. Typically, even after particularly harsh trials, you were still relatively sociable with everyone. It was just in your nature to be around others, but when you first came to the dining hall that morning everyone could tell something was off. You rarely spoke, only answering with short responses when needed while secluding yourself from everyone else.

You didn’t know what was going at first, why you were acting the way you did, but as time passed you soon came to a realization. Subconsciously, your mind had set up a defense mechanism, distancing yourself as far from the others as you could to avoid being hurt again. It was almost like you could see the walls being built up around you, the person you were before trapped inside with no way to escape.

After a few days you thought it would get better, that those walls would come down eventually, but they never did. If anything, they only got stronger as you plunged yourself into isolation, and with Kokichi gone, there was no one who could pull you out of that state.

How you found yourself in Miu’s lab, you didn’t know. It was almost if you were being drawn to it as you took a walk, the orange rays of the sunset covering the structure in a vintage lighting. Reaching down, your hand hesitated over the doorknob, hovering around it with uncertainty. Would she mind if you came in here? Probably not, after all, she had always crashed your lab, it was only fair if you did the same. A small smile of reminiscence tugged it’s way to your lips as your fingers finally clasped around the doorknob, pulling it open to reveal the inside.

It was just as she left it, hectic with tools and mechanical parts strewn all over the tables and counters in a disorganized mess, a few littering the floor as well. The smell of oil and metal wafted into the air, similar to the scent that used to follow her around. To you, it wasn’t unpleasant in the slightest, it was _her._

Sitting down on one of the sparse chairs in the room, you allowed yourself to curl up on the plush seating, pulling your knees up to your chest as you relaxed your head on the back. Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath. Sleep was a rarity for you recently, but the familiarity was enough to lull you into a state of rest, your mind clearing, if only for a moment, of every thought that swarmed your head.

It was hard to tell how long you had been there, but after what felt like hours a knock sounded from the door to the lab. Burying your face in the felt of the backrest, you ignored it in hopes that whoever was there would leave, but they didn’t. A moment later, a second knock rang throughout the room. It wasn’t annoying or persistent, instead patient, as if they didn’t want to bother you. Still, you didn’t answer.

A minute or two had passed before the door opened, a sliver of darkness streaming in from the outside; it must’ve been close to nighttime. Standing silhouetted in the threshold was Shuichi, tentatively scanning the inside until his eyes found your curled up form, widening with surprise. Stepping fully into the lab, he made his way over to you as his gaze inspected the room with curiosity, taking the seat beside you once he crossed the floor.

Keeping your sight trained on the wall opposite of him, you allowed for a silence to fill the air, only for it to be broken by him soon after, “I’ve been looking for you everywhere. I stood outside your dorm for nearly a half an hour before I decided to check in here.”

You moved into a normal sitting position, placing your feet back down on the floor as you leaned forward on your elbows. It was obvious he wasn’t planning on leaving you alone anytime soon as he sat before you with an expectant stare. Dejected, you tried to think up a response, your voice was hoarse and faint as you spoke, “Why?”

“Why? Everyone’s worried about you, (y/n), me included,” he explained, his tone soft as he continued, “I know how you feel, losing someone you care about. But when that happened to me, I had Kaito and Maki there to help me out, to help me cope. Kokichi’s that for you, isn’t he?”

You nodded slowly as you played with your fingers, “Yeah, he’s always been here for me no matter what.”

“...And now he’s nowhere to be seen. You know, I really don’t understand him. From the last trial alone everyone could tell that he cares about you a lot, and when you need him he just disappears?” Shuichi mused, more so to himself than anyone you. It almost sounded like the was trying to solve a crime, the wonder in his words mixed with more serious undertones.

“That’s not even what I’m upset about…” you trailed off, trying to decide if you should even continue. For the last few days you had been completely reclusive, would opening up really be a good idea? Looking to Shuichi, you saw the concern filling his eyes, deciding to continue with a deep sigh, “I don’t even know what he’s doing, what he’s planning. Ever since that first day after Miu died I started to close myself off from everyone else in fear of being betrayed, but he was the one person I could wholly trust. Now that he’s disappeared, I have no one.”

Shuichi went silent for a moment, placing a hand on your shoulder before continuing with a light chuckle, “He’s going to come back, I’m sure of it. And when he does he’s probably going to go right back to antagonizing us, just like he always has.”

A smile tugged at your lips for a second before fading away, a flash of anxiety taking over your features, “But what if he doesn’t? The last time I saw him, he apologized to me for something he was planning. What if this was it? What if he got hurt?”

“You have to give him more credit than that. As much as I hate to admit it, he’s incredibly smart. Whatever he’s doing, there's no way he’d be reckless enough to get himself hurt,” Shuichi explained, eliciting a small grin from you.

As you were about to speak, to thank him for talking some sense into your mind, the nighttime announcement went off, it’s four-toned chime ringing throughout the lab. The monitor abruptly switched on, the plush chair Monokuma usually sat at displayed on the screen, but the bear in question was nowhere to be seen. A few seconds of silence passed before the monitors went black once again, leaving both you and Shuichi in a state of confusion.

Pulling himself up from his chair, Shuichi prompted you to do the same as he motioned towards the exit, “Come on, let’s get to the gym.”

You raised an eyebrow in confusion, but obliged anyways, “The… gym? Why?”

“Were you paying attention in the dining hall this morning?” he asked, to which you shook your head. He let out a light chuckle, “Kaito wanted us all to meet up in the gym at nighttime to rebel against Monokuma. He didn’t tell us much about his plan, but we decided to meet up anyways.”

Running a hand through your hair, you started through the door, allowing for Shuichi to catch up shortly after, “Alright, let’s just end this all. I’m really tired of seeing my friends get hurt.”

“Yeah, me too,” he agreed, allowing you to lead the way out of the lab and into the courtyard, the full moon illuminating the outside with a sliver glow.

The two of you barely spoke as you made your way through the winding halls of the academy, mostly on your own accord, but it wasn’t unpleasant. The gentle sound of your shoes hitting the tiled floor was enough to fill the void, soothing the knot of anxiety that formed in your stomach. It seemed as if the severity of Kaito’s plans had just dawned on you. You were going to fight Monokuma? How could this possibly have a positive outcome?

When you approached the gymnasium, you hung behind to allow Shuichi to open the doors, bracing yourself for what was to come. You were in no shape to fight, with almost all of your physical strength gone from lack of sleep and malnourishment. It would only take one or two hits to bring you to the ground, another to knock you out completely. But still, you had no choice. As you stepped inside you could tell there was no escape from fighting, as sitting beside your group of peers was a pile of weapons, all ranging in size and type.

Kaito’s features lit up as he spotted the two of you, waving you over, “Hey, you guys are here! I’m glad you found (y/n), Shuichi, now we have everyone!”

“Are those weapons?” Shuichi asked warily, pointing to the large stack you had noticed when you came in.

Maki eyed them with certainty, letting out a sigh after a few seconds as she turned her attention to Kaito, “So the reason you went to my lab yesterday was to find weapons to use against Monokuma?”

He beamed back at her, “Yeah, that’s right. Your lab has everything so I just wanted to see what would be easy for everyone to use. Anyways, let’s get started! You guys better be ready!”

“You don’t mean ready to die, right?” Tsumugi asked, her voice practically a whimper.

“What? No, I mean ready to fight and win, obviously!” Kaito exclaimed proudly, “We challenged Monokuma a bunch of times, but it never worked out, right? That’s because we gave up. But this time we can’t give up, ‘cause this is our final chance! We’re gonna beat him up and end this ridiculous killing ga-”

“Wow, what a coinkydink. I was planning on ending this killing game, too,” A familiar voice rang out from behind you, causing everyone to turn in shock. Leaning confidently against the handle of a metal cart was Kokichi, a grin plastered on his face as he surveyed everyone curiously. None of you had even heard him enter the gym, let alone push a large cart inside as well.

You were completely stunned, taking a step back as you spoke, your soft voice barely audible over the commotion of the others, “Kokichi?”

“You little-! What are you-!” Kaito yelled, unable to make out any complete sentences though his fit of anger.

Lunging forward, Kaito looked as if he were about to tackle Kokichi, that is, until the latter pulled a pink-colored metal sphere from his pocket, holding his free hand out to stop him, “I wouldn’t move if I were you, at least, if you don’t wanna become this li’l guy’s prey.”

“That… Is that a bomb!?” you asked, your eyes wide with fear.

Kokichi’s gaze meant yours, and for a moment a look of remorse flashed across his features, but just as it had appeared, it vanished. Letting out a devilish laugh, he continued, “Yup, it’s exactly that. Which means, if you don’t wanna be blown to pieces, then you need to listen to what I’m about to tell you. Wait… what was I gonna tell you?”

Kaito, now calmer than he was before, took a step back, “You little-! What are you going to do with that bomb!?”

“Oh, yeah. I was gonna tell you my purpose,” he mused, holding a finger up to his chin in thought as he childishly tilted his head to the side, “You know how it says in the rules that the killing game will continue until there’s only two people left? But it never mentioned anything about how many you can kill, right?”

Shuichi tensed up, “What are you trying to say?”

“Who wants to survive with me?” Kokichi offered, his eyes locking on yours for a moment too long before shifting back over the rest of the group, “Just the two of us, leaving this game together.”

Shaking his head in disbelief, Kaito spoke, his tone wavering slightly, “Then the way you were gonna end the killing game is…”

“I thought maybe I should kill everyone! Except for me and, like, one other person. If I did that, I’d be able to end the killing game and still abide by school rules, right?” he explained excitedly, “Well then. Who wants to live? It’s first come, first serve! On the count of three, first one to raise their hand wins!”

“Quit screwing around, who would ever agree to that plan!? It’s ridiculous you’d actually think we would go as low as that. Even if you threaten to kill us, we’re not going to do what you want,” Kaito argued, agreements ringing out from all around him.

Kokichi’s face fell to one of neutrality as he went silent, before an impressed laugh erupted from his lips, “Wow, what a surprise. I didn’t think this would go _exactly_ as I predicted. Of course, I lied about killing everyone! I just wanted to test your determination and see if you guys were motivated enough to end this killing game, and you are! So, let’s work together! We can use these Ultimate Anti-Monokuma Weapons and end this killing game!”

“What? Are you talking about the hammers?” Shuichi asked, motioning to what resided on the cart. There were seven hammers, all colored with the same hot pink paint as the bomb still in Kokichi’s hand.

“Yeah, so at least try to hear me out! These are Miu’s memento as well!” Kokichi whined, eliciting a gasp from you. Just what did he mean by that?

You tried to suppress your emotions as soon as you heard her name from his mouth, though a wave of dejection went through your mind. Trying to force it down, you couldn’t help but wonder, “Miu’s… memento? Did she make these?”

“Yeah, they’re called Electrohammers; I asked her to make them before she died. They’re a pretty incredible invention that disables any electronic machine on contact,” he explained, pausing when he heard Kiibo’s noise of dismay, “Huh, I bet that includes Kii-boy too. But they should be helpful against Monokuma, right?”

Raising an eyebrow, Kaito glared at him, “Hey, how did you know we were gonna fight Mono-”

“Oh! Well, I just happened to be hiding in the dining hall when I heard you discussing it! But I was just so elated when I heard you guys wanted to fight Monokuma, ‘cause that was my plan all along. That’s how I wanna end this killing game, that’s why I asked Miu to make these; to defeat Monokuma and the Monokubs!”

“Don’t lie, you’ve been fixated on this killing game the whole time,” Maki growled, her voice deadly as she continued, “Are these really something Miu made, or are you lying about that too?”

Shuichi’s gaze was fixated on the hammers, staring at them with curiosity, “This doesn’t make sense, if Miu made these weapons, why didn’t she…? Why didn’t she use them instead of trying to murder someone?”

“It’s all your fault,” Kokichi responded flatly, “I told Miu too, you know? Around the time I asked her to invent this. I told her that we should fight against Monokuma, but she didn’t want to. ‘Someone will still betray us’, is what she told me. Well, the Exisals were still moving at the time so I don’t blame her, but she was afraid to trust you guys. The fear of betrayal overcame her. That’s why she bloodied her hands in this killing game.”

You bit your lip, averting your attention to the floor below you as you tried to get her out of your head, focusing your mind elsewhere. The gym seemed as it was worse than it had been when you arrived at the school, thick vines growing freely over the polished wood. Or maybe it had always been that way? As the days passed by at the academy it was hard to tell what had changed and what stayed the same, especially in the courtyard. Your mind had gotten too accustomed to your surroundings, as much as you hated to admit it.

While you were deep in thought, trying to hold back your emotions, Kokichi continued, “But you guys are different. You guys wouldn’t lose to the fear of your friends betraying you, right? You showed your determination to fight together, and you even ignored my advice from earlier.”

“And that’s why you lied about killing all of us, to test that theory?” Shuichi asked.

“Yeah, I just want you guys to do your best!” Kokichi exclaimed, pausing for a moment before continuing, “Oh, by the way, the Electrohammers weren’t the only thing Miu made. She made this thing, too.” He held up the bomb in his hand for everyone to see, “It’s called an Electrobomb, it jams electronic signals by scattering particles that interfere with electromagnetic waves. So for two hours, any and all electronic devices within 50 yards will be completely disabled. It’s extraordinary, but I only have three of them so I need to use them carefully. You guys will have to settle for the Electrohammers.”

An expression of offense crossed Kiibo’s features, “Settle? We have no intention of using such suspicious-looking hammers.”

“Are you sure? You can use these not only against Monokuma… but to also get through that underground tunnel we found a while ago. You can use them to destroy the electronic traps in that place,” he said, his tone almost taunting.

Himiko took a step forward, warily eyeing the hammers as she spoke, “Is that… true?”

Kokichi dramatically placed his hand over his heart, “Oh, I’m touched. Are you finally starting to believe me? Yes, it is true, but if you do use these, be careful ‘cause they run out of battery pretty quickly. So if you use it against an Exisal, it’ll run out of juice with just one shot, got it? And once the battery depletes it takes 24 hours to fully charge, so watch out for that. Anyways, I’m done explaining so I’ll hand ‘em over and let you guys talk it through. I won’t interfere anymore, either.”

“Won’t interfere?” Kiibo asked.

Kokichi waved his hand dismissively, “I’ll be looking from a distance, or something like that. You don’t want me around anyway, so I’ll just leave you alone.”

He started towards the door, leaving the cart of weapons behind, when Shuichi stopped him, “Wait, before you run off again there’s something I need to ask you. What’s with that writing in the courtyard? That message that Gonta found, did you write that? And if you did, why?”

“Hm, what’s that? I have no idea,” he said, quirking an eyebrow at the other’s accusation.

Himiko crossed her arms in defiance, “Don’t play dumb! Your name is on it, you’ve gotta be the one who did it!”

“But I wouldn’t gain anything from writing a message like that, would I? That would just make you guys suspect I’m the mastermind. Why would I willingly write ‘this world is mine. Kokichi Ouma’? Wouldn’t it just make me seem suspicious?” he asked, “Oh, I know! This is all Monokuma’s doing. He’s trying to get us to suspect each other! But don’t worry, I truly wanna end this killing-”

Before he could finish, a streak of red crossed the gym. In an instant Maki was standing before Kokichi, her hand roughly gripped around his neck like it had been not too long ago. He let out a choked gasp, his fingers flying to his windpipe in an attempt to free himself, but it was futile. Just as you were about to lose yourself in a moment of impetuousness, Shuichi gripped your shoulder, holding you back as Maki spoke, “Tell us the truth, what are you scheming?”

He took a breath, wheezing from her tight grip on his throat, “L-Like I said, I just wanna end this killing game, that’s all.”

“If you don’t tell the truth, then I’ll break you,” she growled, her fingers constricting around his windpipe even more. His face drained of color, his nails digging into the flesh of her arm, though she barely even flinched.

Kaito rushed towards them in a desperate attempt to stop her, “Maki Roll, cut it out! You’ll get killed if you don’t! I told you we can’t play this killing game, that’s what Monokuma wants!”

She stiffened up, looking to Kaito with a look of reluctance before obliging. She threw him to the ground harshly, the painful thud of his form hitting the wooden floors resounding throughout the room. Blinking hard, you forced yourself to stay in your place, even though each gasping breath he took willed you to do the opposite. After a few minutes of silence Kokchi finally spoke, pulling himself up as he rubbed his neck, “Do you choke everyone you know or am I just special? Jeez, you’re such a meanie, I can’t believe you would do something like this to a friend."

Maki scoffed, “Friend? As if.”

“You guys may not think of me that way, but I see all of you as my friends. That’s why… I’ll be back. I won’t interfere anymore, so please, continue to walk in the path you believe in,” he prompted, leaving before anyone could get in another word. As he made his way to the exit his movements were sluggish, undoubtedly recovering from the lack of oxygen.

As soon as he was gone Kiibo spoke up, asking the question that was on everyone’s minds, “So, what should we do?”

“You mean about the hammers? They’ve gotta be booby trapped somehow,” Tsumugi said, “I mean, they came from _Kokichi_. There’s no way we can trust anything he gives us, they probably weren’t even made by Miu.”

You daringly approached the hammers, examining their design closely, “No, I can tell they’re definitely something that Miu made. The engineering on these are uncanny, she used to let me watch her work all the time. She wouldn’t sabotage them, especially not at the request of Kokichi. She hated him, it’s a wonder she even made these in the first place.”

Maki shook her head, “Either way, I refuse to believe anything he says.”

“But, you know, if it’s not a lie, then isn’t this our one chance to escape!? If we use these Electrohammers, maybe we can get through the underground passage. So why don’t we try it?” Kaito suggested.

Everyone went quiet in thought, pondering the possible outcomes. On one hand, you could actually escape this prison that’s been confining you for so long, while on the other, you could end up being tricked and betrayed. They were both two extreme, but very possible outcomes that couldn’t be outweighed. But even though you knew you could die, the prospect of freedom was one you’d be willing to take the risk for.

It was a while before anyone finally came up with an answer, Tsumugi breaking the foreboding silence, “No matter what we do, it’ll be dangerous. But are you really going to believe Kokichi?”

“Our goal is to escape with everyone, right? If there’s a chance we can do it, then we should take it. Besides, we don’t have enough time to wait…” Kaito trailed off, his last sentence much quieter than the rest.

Maki scrunched up her eyebrows, “Time?”

An expression of shock passed through Kaito’s features before he quickly caught himself, “Yeah, with Monokuma. Like, he’s gonna get in our way soon when he comes back, so let’s try the underground passage while we still can. We’ll get to the outside world, I know it!”

“Yeah, we at least have to try. Who knows what the outcome will be, and if we have the chance we should take it. If we don’t we’re probably going to end up regretting it,” Shuichi agreed, looking to Maki expectantly.

She rolled her eyes, but gave in, “Fine, I guess I’ll be stupid too. But if that hammer is a trap, then I’ll really kill that assh-”

“You can’t kill him. Just punch him,” Kaito said, placing a calming hand on her shoulder as he pulled her closer towards him, “If you kill him then you die too, but punching him is just as satisfying and doesn’t break any rules. Just take it from me, I’ve done it before.”

Her cheeks flushed subtly under his touch, though she refused to acknowledge it, “I know. I’m just going to beat him to a bloody pulp.”

Ignoring their exchange, Tsumugi got everyone’s attention with her newfound determination, “I see, if everyone else is going to do it, I understand. Then, I’ll prepare myself for the underground passage again!”

“Yeah, right on! Now let’s get going and show them what we’re made of! We’re gonna escape from that underground passage for sure this time and leave this damned place!” Kaito exclaimed, letting go of Maki and running up to grab one of the Electrohammers, holding it in the air above his head, “Let’s do this!”

Everyone followed suit, giving a triumphant cheer as they grabbed their own Electrohammer, you included. Though it may very well end in defeat, you couldn’t help but feel an inkling of optimism run though you as you gripped the hammer in your weak fingers. The way Kaito spoke, he just had that effect on people. You felt as if you could do anything in that moment, even leaving this godforsaken game once and for all.

With a new rush of energy, you practically ran out of the gym as a wide grin took over your features, following the others to the boiler room where the tunnel was located. Just like it had been before, the only thing that illuminated the courtyard in the night was the full moon overhead. It was familiar, reminiscent of your first time going through the tunnel. Everyone in high spirits as determination filled their heads. You just hoped it wouldn’t turn out like it had before.

Just like how you left it the boiler room was still heavily unkempt with vines and weeds growing from every spot possible. The only spot that seemed untouched was the circular hole in the ground, leading down into the tunnel towards freedom. Without hesitation you climbed down the ladder and into the dank room the lied below.

As soon as everyone arrived, Kaito began, “Alright, let’s get started. Of course, this is gonna be a little dangerous, but we’ve got all these Ultimates here! If we work together, we’re going to get through this for sure!

His speech, it was almost exactly identical to what Kaede had said to you so long ago. Shuichi noticed as well, letting out a soft gasp, “Those words…”

“Yeah, we can finally carry out Kaede’s wish. To work together and get out of here… to become friends. Now’s the time to fulfill our promise,” Kaito prompted, filling you with with a new kind of determination. Instead of a want of escape driving you forward, it was the need to finally accomplish what Kaede wanted all along. For a moment, Kaito’s expression turned grim, “We don’t have time to talk, let’s go.”

Brandishing their hammers, everyone piled into the tunnel, ready to take anything Monokuma would throw at them. Hands shaking with nerves, you followed, a surge of strength going through your weakened body. With a faint smile tugging at your lips, you looked down to the Electrohammer gripped in your pallid fingers. It was almost like she was there with you, cheering you on as you finally made a move to escape.

The first thing you noticed when you entered was the drastically depleted size of your group. Now, after weeks and weeks of being trapped inside the game, there were less than half of you left. Your measly group of seven was nothing compared to the seventeen that first traversed the tunnel, but you knew you would make it through.

After you got through the first few obstacles you were met with a metal sphere flying towards you. Reflexively, you swung the hammer in it’s direction, the weapon stopping in its tracks and falling to the floor with a dull thud. Eyeing it carefully, you pushed the ball around with your foot, though it seemed to be completely deactivated. Kokichi was right, the hammers really did destroy the traps.

Everyone else discovered this as well, brashidly running through the maze a they swung their Electrohammers haphazardly in front of them, you doing the same with a joyous cheer. This was it, you were going to make it to the outside world! It almost felt like a dream as you traversed through the traps with ease, light on your feet as you sprinted as fast as your legs could allow, slowing down once you reached a straight corridor filled with colored lights and strange metallic walls. There were only a few traps, but they diminished as you continued forward, eventually stopping all together once you reached a metal gate.

As soon as you opened it, you knew you were at the closing of the tunnel. At the very end was a large door, protected by a bright beam of light that seemed to act as a barrier of sorts. Taking a step closer to it, you reached a hand out in curiosity, “Is this… is this the exit?”

“Yeah, right behind that must be the outside world,” Kiibo mused, inspecting it intently, “That looks similar to the electric barrier in front of the Exisal hangar. Unless we disable that, we won’t be able to open that door.”

Shuichi nodded in understanding, “Then let’s look around, there should be something around here that can deactivate it.”

It didn’t take much searching to find the control panel, being located right next to the door, but as soon as you spotted it everyone crowded around. It wasn’t much, just a small structure attached to the ground with a screen displayed on the front. Shuichi took the lead, tapping the monitor so it would turn on, “This control panel, if it’s like the one in the Exisal hangar then I should be able to disable the barrier with the passcode.”

Kaito let out a laugh, “We don’t need that! If it’s electronic, we just gotta destroy it with these hammers! The lock on the door looks electronic too, so we can use these to open it as well. So what are you guys waiting for? Let's destroy this control panel and open this big dumb gate. Then everything will be over! We can say goodbye to this academy and this killing game!”

“Finally, this death game is going to end. We can finally return to our normal lives,” Maki said, relief present in her tone.

Your normal life? You hadn’t even thought about what it would be like to go back, to return to your family, your friends… to return to your normal life with Kokichi. But where was he? If you were going to escape, you wanted to do it with him by your side. But just like the days leading up to this moment, he was nowhere to be seen.

Hopping from foot to foot from excitement, Kaito gripped the Electrohammer with both hands, holding it over his head, “Let’s go! It's finally time to graduate from this academy of lies!”

With that, he brought the hammer down in a forceful swing, letting out a yell as the metal made contact with the control panel. Sparks flew at the collision, causing Kaito to stumble back as he dropped his hammer down on the floor in front of him, watching the screen shut down. The barrier protecting the door lit up with bolts of electricity before dissipating completely, leaving the door behind it completely vulnerable.

“Lock disabled,” a computerized voice rang out from the broke control panel, causing your face to flush with a triumphant grin.

Himiko gave a gleeful laugh, unable to contain her happiness as she jumped in her spot, “Yes! The door’s unlocked!”

“Now we just gotta open up this gate! Let’s all work together!” Kaito prompted, his voice barely audible over the elation of your peers, though you all still managed to hear his proclamation, running to the door as fast as you could. With shaking fingers everyone gripped the door as securely as they could, pulling it open with all the strength they could muster.

Slowly, they opened, a stream of red light blinding you as it streamed into the dark tunnel, growing bigger as the doors opened wider. Your heart was racing out of your chest as the light died down, reveal the outside world. Or rather, what was left of the outside world.

The buildings that lined the street outside the tunnel were nothing but ruines, rust covering every bit of metal that you could see. A cloud of red settled over the sky above, which glowed with a sickly yellow light. There was no life, nothing that would even closely resemble that of the world you once knew. It felt as if your breath had been completely taken from you as you stared at the rubble that took what was left of your home, your vision blurring until it was completely taken over by darkness.

Your body hit the cold flooring before you could stop it, a stinging pain blooming from your right arm as you landed on it, though you couldn’t do anything about it as you drifted in and out of consciousness. Only a moment passed before the sound of the large metal doors closing reverberated in your mind, your strength gradually returning to your limbs not too long after. Opening your eyes, you could see that everything was back to normal, no red glow cloaking the room like it had been previously.

With a great effort you pulled yourself up into a sitting position, your head pounding with a dull pain at the front of your skull. Wincing, you pressed your palm to your forehead in a failed attempt to mitigate the throbbing, though it was no avail, only made worse by the loud voice that rang out through the room, “Congrats! You finished the killing game!”

That voice, you knew it _too_ well, it’s innocent tone laced with malice that seemed to show no remorse. Instantly, despite the pain, you whipped your head around to the source, seeing the very person you expected leaning against the wall with a smug look on his face. Letting out a weak gasp, you tried your best to speak, “K-Kokichi…?”

“Are you okay?” he asked, his eyes finding your crumpled form on the ground. Instead of sounding sympathetic, however, the question was almost taunting, “Get it together. It wouldn’t be funny if you died here, you know?” He shifted his gaze to everyone else, “Your lives are very precious to humanity.”

Shuichi pulled himself up, standing unsteadily on his weakened legs, “What do you mean? Humanity?”

“Well then, the fun starts now. It’s finally time to reveal everything,” Kokichi said cheerily, rocking on his heels like an excited little kid.

You followed Shuichi’s actions, getting up to your feet as a wave of dizziness threatened to knock you over once more. Thankfully, you only swayed in your spot, but eventually steadied yourself into a somewhat stable stance. The others from around you started to rouse, Tsumugi pulling herself up as a sob escaped her lips, “What… what was that just now?”

“What’s going on? On the other side of that door was… Where even are we!? What in the world is going on?” Kaito asked, his expression frantic as he looked around the room wildly, stopping when he spotted Kokichi, “Hey, you-”

“Good morning everyone! How are you guys feeling? Terrible? Of course you guys are, ‘cause you now know the truth of the outside world!” Kokichi taunted, “You saw it, right? The outside world you guys so desperately longed for… doesn’t exist!”

Maki stood defiantly, her face ready to kill as she stared him down, “What do you mean it doesn't exist?”

Kokichi let out a sigh, “Do you really wanna know? I guess I can tell you, I’m getting kinda bored with all the lying anyways. So, everything I say now will be the truth, ‘kay?” He paused, taking a deep breath, “Everything began when that despair came falling from the sky. There was no way to avoid the numerous amount of meteorites raining down on the Earth. The leaders of every nation realized that we could not escape the end of the world-”

Kiibo shook his head in a panic, “Hold on! The end of the world? What are you talking abou-”

“Jeez, you better not interrupt me again or I’m not gonna tell you anything, got that?” Kokichi threatened, to which Kiibo gave a reluctant nod, “Okie-dokie, continuing where we left off. The leaders of every nation wanted to prevent the extinction of the human race, so they decided to implement a plan. The Gofer Project. A plan to place talented humans in a spaceship in order to help them escape the world’s end so that they may find another planet where they can preserve humankind. The Gofer Project wasn’t implemented to save the human race, but rather, to salvage the human race.

“Seventeen young and talented high schoolers were chosen for the Gofer Project. These Adams and Eves of the new world were known as the Ultimate students. But the seventeen students refused to partake in this plan. Well, it’s obvious they wouldn’t. Surviving alone, friends and family left behind to die. That’s just hell right there. So then. The seventeen decided to flee from the project. They erased their memories to forget their Ultimate talents to become normal students.

“But it was around that time that a certain cult organization rose in power. Those who believed in the End of Days were convinced humans deserved the meteorites’ wrath. When they discovered the Gofer Project, they plotted to sabotage the plan. That’s when the Ultimate Hunt began. Because of this, the organization responsible for the Gofer Project spread misinformation claiming that all seventeen students had died. That was our memory of the funeral.

“With this, they were able to quell the Ultimate Hunt, shelter the students, and carry out the Gofer Project. The Ark’s launch succeeded, despite the meteorites and the destruction of the Earth, and the Ultimate students were sent off into space as humanity’s last survivors. And that Ark… is the true identity of this academy!”

Shuichi blinked hard in disbelief, his face reflecting the confusion you felt on the inside as he asked, “What!?”

Kokichi rolled his eyes, “The Ultimate Academy for Gifted Juveniles is actually a gigantic spaceship colony.”

“What are you saying? Do you really think I’ll believe that?” Kaito exclaimed, though his face was pallid with fear. He looked almost sickly as he tried to process what Kokichi had just said.

Kokichi grinned, “Wait, hold on now. This story isn’t done yet. Don’t you think it’s strange that the killing game happened on the Ark, humanity’s last hope? Well, the organization behind the Gofer Project made one terrible oversight. A horrible person, hiding among the students chosen to be the last survivors of the human race, was the leader of the cult organization trying to crush the Gofer Project.

“And so they hid among the students and prepared a robot on this ship, which you all know now as Monokuma. Originally the students were placed into a state of cold sleep and were supposed to wake up once the ship found a suitable planet, but Monokuma manipulated the Ark and brought it back to the ruined Earth. And although the students were supposed to wake up on a different planet, they rose from their sleep, and now they’re here.”

The way Kokichi revealed everything with that mischievous smile on his face sent chills down your spine. He was acting completely different than you’ve ever seen him before, not even a hint remorse in his tone as he avoided your devastated gaze. Usually you could tell when he was lying, or at least hiding his true emotions, but he was completely unreadable as you watched him speak.

Kaito took a weak step away from him, “If we returned to Earth, that means what we just saw… that’s Earth now?”

“Yup! That’s Earth after a few hundred years, while we were in cold sleep. An Earth destroyed by meteorites, without oxygen or living creatures. An Earth without any cities or people. That is the truth of the outside world. There’s no place for you bastards to go home to, that’s why it’s pointless to go outside. The outside world doesn’t exist anymore!” Kokichi explained, his voice light with a twisted sort of glee.

Tsumugi took a shaky breath, her tone unsteady, “Doesn’t exist?”

He nodded, “The Earth and humans have died out ages ago. Except for the last seventeen survivors of humanity. Well, the last eight survivors of humanity.”

“That’s a lie! It’s definitely a lie!” Himiko protested, though it was obvious that even she didn’t know if her objection was true or not.

Kokichi checked his nails as if he was bored of the conversation. “I already told you I wouldn’t lie anymore. I’m tired of lying, you know? Anyway, I gotta confess… You know that cult I mentioned earlier? The leader is… me. Which means, the mastermind who snuck Monokuma onto the Ark is yours truly.”

Your eyes shot wide open, feeling as a wave of nausea went through you, unrelated to the weakened state of your body. There was no way that could be true, you’ve known him for years. There’s no way he’d do something as horrible as this, especially with the nature of his organization. None of it added up, but at the same time you couldn’t sense even an inkling of dishonesty in his words.

Kiibo jumped back, stiffening up out of shock, “Kokichi, you’re the mastermind!?”

“I didn’t want to just crush the Gofer Project, I wanted to ruin it in the worst way possible. So, I came up with a plan! What could possibly be worse than the last seventeen survivors of humanity killing each other!?” Kokichi asked.

Himiko was sobbing now, attempting to stifle the tears with the sleeve of her jacket, “It’s a lie! It’s all gotta be a lie!”

He let out a laugh, rolling his eyes, “Oh, you want me to lie _now_? But you guys always told me not to do that. Here, since you don’t believe me I’ll show you the irrefutable evidence that I’m the mastermind.”

Reaching into his pocket, Kokichi pulled out a small remote, fiddling with the buttons as focus took over his expression. A minute later all five of the exisals dropped seemingly from the ceiling to surround him, causing you to jump back in fear. From beside you Kaito let out a yell at the scene, instinctively moving closer to Maki as he choked out the word, “Exisals!?”

“What’s going on!? I thought only the Monokubs could control the the Exisals!” Kiibo exclaimed.

“Well, I’m different. Since I’m the mastermind, I control everything in this school,” he explained, holding up the remote like it were some kind of toy, “As long as I have the master remote control, all Exisals move on my command.”

Kaito clenched his fist, his expression akin to that of pure fury, “So it’s the truth, huh? We were just being led around by you this entire time!”

Kokichi feigned a look of innocence, holding a finger up to his chin, “Oh, are you mad? What are you gonna do about it?”

“Shut up! Of course I’m mad! Don’t think you’ve won just because you’ve got the Exisals on your side! ‘Cause we’ve got the Electrohammers-” Kaito suddenly stopped, the light from the hammer in his hand fading to darkness, “What? What’s happening?”

“Oh typical Kaito. I guess things aren’t going your way. Lucky for me, you ran out of juice! I told you, didn’t I? The problem is that it runs out of battery pretty quickly. But that lasted longer than I calculated, so I was actually starting to get a bit nervous!” Kokichi explained, pointed down to everyone’s Electrohammers, which had all powered down simultaneously.

Kaito advanced, getting dangerously close to him as he spoke, “All our friends are dead, our families. And even if I can’t bring them back, I can't get over it unless I punch you in that stupid fucking face!”

Before anyone could stop him, Kaito lunged forward, letting out a yell as he reeled his fist back. Right as he was about to land the hit however, he was smacked down by one of the Exisals, the robot scooping him up shortly after. He hung limply from it’s hand like a ragdoll, unconscious as he dangled upside down in its grip.

You screamed, Maki’s yell of dismay joining yours as you stared at the scene before your eyes. Kokichi just laughed, shaking his head, “Oh don’t worry, he’s not dead. But now you know, right? There’s no use defying me, the mastermind. You know, these machines were originally machines to protect us, to shield us from any danger that might pop up on other planets. But now, I thinks it’s hilarious how much they’ve become a threat to you guys.”

Maki took a step forward, and then another, her eyes filled with a murderous rage as she glared at Kokichi, her voice even more deadly as she spoke, “Give… Kaito… Give Kaito back!”

Just as she was about to lunge at him, Shuichi grabbed her arm tightly, pulling her back away from Kokichi. She struggled, clawing the air in front of her as she yelled, “Let go of me! Do you want to die!?”

“No, I won’t let go! Even if you kill me, I can’t let go! Please Maki, you’re going to get yourself killed,” Shuichi pleased, feeling as she calmed down in his grasp. Her eyes were still deadly, but as he let go she made no moves to attack.

“Nice job, Mister Ultimate Detective. That was a wise call Shuichi,” Kokichi mused, flashing him a sinister grin, “But your talent is useless now. The mystery of the killing game, the secret of the outside world, the mastermind’s identity; they’re all solved! We don’t need a detective anymore! This is the true ending!”

Himiko raised her head up from where her eyes were trained on the floor, staring at him defiantly, “Ending!? If this is the ending, then what are we supposed to do now!? If the world is destroyed and we’re the last human beings left, what are we supposed to do from now on!?”

“How about… doing anything you want?” he suggested, “I know I started this whole thing, but I’m bored now, so sorry about that. But, now that I’ve gotten to see that utter despair on your faces, I’m satisfied. So you can go wild. You guys can commit suicide together, or kill each other. Or maybe you could change your minds and stay here forever. Whatever you decide to do, I don’t care, this game is over.”

A silence filled the room, eerie as everyone digested the information. You were allowed to do whatever you pleased, but you’d have to live with the fact that everyone on Earth was dead. At this point, suicide seemed more appealing than having to live with that despair. And hearing this all from your boyfriend, who was grinning throughout all of it, was almost too much to handle.

Maki was the first to speak, her eyes fixated on one of the Exisals, “What do you plan to do with Kaito?”

“Oh, I just want him to chill out for a bit. Hot-blooded idiots like him are trouble, they do whatever they want without thinking about the consequences. If it’s just him, I can deal. But if he gets all of you involved, then that’s totally a hassle. Anyways, Shuichi, can I have the  Exisal hangar’s alarm remote back?” Kokichi asked, his hand extended out to Shuichi’s direction, “I was thinking that’d be the perfect place to keep Kaito in.”

The boy in question recoiled, his hand going instinctively to his pocket as he took a step backwards. Maki shot a glare at him, her voice commanding as she spoke, “Don’t give it to him, Shuichi.”

“You know what will happen if you don’t hand it over, right?” Kokichi asked, his voice innocent as his wiggled his fingers, growing impatient the longer he waited.

Shuichi paused in thought before plunging his hand into his front pocket, pulling out a small remote and handing it over to Kokichi, who took it with an excited grin. Not able to meet eyes with Maki, he returned to his spot with his gaze averted to the ground, “Sorry Maki.”

With the remote in his hand, Kokichi left without another word, not sparing you so much as a glance as he did so. You felt as if you were going crazy, your head pounding with a dull ache as it tried to comprehend everything that unfolded before you. There was no way Kokichi could be the mastermind, you kept telling yourself that, but the more you thought the harder it became to decipher what was a truth and what was a lie. Did you really know your boyfriend, or had everything been false?

It felt like a wave of vertigo washed over you as you stared to the ground, barely even moving as you shifted your gaze to the others. Himiko had fallen to the floor, her legs folded under her as she unsuccessfully tried to stifle the tears that came running down her cheeks. A part of you wanted to help her, but it felt as if your feet were glued to the spot, only able to sit and watch as she was barely able to mutter out a sentence, “This is n-nonsense… So… what did all the others die for, then?”

Everyone went silent, unable to answer as they thought back. All the deaths so far, they had been meaningless. Miu. Miu wanted so badly to escape this hell, and in the end it all meant nothing. Outside of the academy was nothing. Nowhere to go, nowhere to escape to after you leave the game. You were truly trapped.

One by one, everyone regained at least a little bit of strength as they left the tunnel, making it back to their rooms in a daze. You were one of the last to leave, your legs seeming to move on their own as you traversed through the tunnel, all the traps from before disabled as you stumbled through them. Before you knew it you were back in the boiler room, staggering out into the courtyard with no memory of how you got there.

A chill wind blew through your hair, hitting your face delicately. Normally the breeze would’ve been soothing in the calm night, but now it was simply another feeling lost in your despair. Afterall, it was only fake, created to make you feel as if you were back on Earth, where the wind blew and the trees danced. Where the sky lit up with amazing orange and pinks during the sunset, cloaking everything it it’s beautiful glow. Where you left all your friends and family, who had died off years ago.

When you arrived at your room you pulled out your motive video, sitting down on the armchair as you turned it on, seeing as the picture you’ve come to find comfort in illuminated the screen. You couldn’t bring yourself to look at Kokichi, instead focusing on the two girls that faced the camera with bright smiles. Kiyo and Hana, they were both gone. Dead.

You felt a tear form in the corner of your eye, trailing across your skin as it fell down your cheek, landing onto your sleeve as several more followed. Letting out a choked sob, you buried your head in your arms, curling up in the armchair in an attempt to obtain any kind of comfort. But of course, it brought none whatsoever, instead fueling the tears that refused to stop.

It was hard to tell how long you stayed like that, but it all came to a stop when you heard the doorbell ring. It was urgent, persistent as the tone sounded multiple times through your room, only getting more frequent the longer you waited. Wiping your face on the back of your arm, you unsteadily pulled yourself up from your spot, opening the door with a bothered sigh.

On the other side was someone you didn’t expect to see, Tsumugi. She seemed taken aback by your state, but didn’t comment as she began to explain herself, “I found a flashback light in the dining hall. I already told everyone else, so please join us in the academy, alright?”

You gave a miniscule nod, your voice hoarse as you spoke, “Alright, I’ll… I’ll be there in a little bit.”

Returning the nod, she turned on her heel and disappeared from the dormitories, leaving you alone to clean yourself up. With a sniff, you wiped your cheeks as much as you could with the back of your sleeve, heading into the bathroom soon after. Bracing one of your hands on the sink, you allowed the tap to run with cold water, dampening a cloth under and and pressing the rag to your face. The cool touch seemed to mitigate the puffy feeling around your eyes, soothing your skin if only for a moment.

Drying off your skin, you headed out the door with no regard for your appearance, dragging yourself out of the dormitories on unsteady legs. It’s not like it would’ve mattered either way, how you looked, considering for the last few days your state was just as bad, and the hopelessness that filled your mind dragged you even deeper down that hole made when Miu was killed.

The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon, orange rays of light barely peeking out against the deep blue sky. Again, you had stayed up all night, but at least this time all the others did too. As if your body was on autopilot, you found your way to the dining hall while your mind was still deep in thought, snapping out of it as soon as you stepped through the large double doors. You paused for a moment, eyes scanning your peers as they gathered around another flashback light, before reluctantly joining them, “Where did this come from?”

Tsumugi shrugged her shoulders, her face downtrodden as she answered, “I don’t know, I went into the dining hall earlier to clear my head and I saw it sitting on the table. I thought we should take a look a look at it, but I don’t even know what we would remember. We already learned everything…”

“It was just… sitting there?” Shuichi asked, taking a step closer to the table, “Do you think Kokichi left it here for us?”

Kiibo nodded, “Yeah, to confirm the truth, perhaps? If we use that Flashback Light, we may recover memories that corroborate his story. But it might be important as well, we should use it just to make sure. It’s the only thing we can do right now.”

“He’s right, if we’re going to die, then we might as well do anything we can. We’ll have no regrets that way. And even if it’s dangerous, it wouldn’t matter anymore, right? Either way, there’s nothing for us to lose. We don’t have any hope left. So, let’s do what we can,” Maki agreed, her tone solid compared to the wariness you felt in your stomach. Everyone fell silent around her, nods and quiet mutters of compliance filling the air as she looked to the flashlight with determination, “Then it’s decided.”

She grabbed the Flashback light in her hands, holding it reluctantly as her eyes scanned the group, “Okay, I’m going to turn it on. Get ready, alright?”

You felt your fists clench as your nails dug into your palm, keeping you grounded as she flipped on the switch. A blinding white light filled your mind, seeping into your consciousness like it had done many times before. Until finally, you felt a distinct sensation of vertigo, your world flipping upside-down as various memories crossed your senses.

Everything connected before your eyes, all the memories you had lost connecting into one final story. It all started at Hope’s Peak, where the biggest, most awful, most tragic event in human history took place, triggering a wave of terrorism and war across the world. Humanity’s true despair. Half the world was destroyed as a result of the terrible violence. And that tragedy was caused by a single high school girl.

The image of Junko Enoshima was clear in your mind, a familiar face filled with confidence and malice. The Ultimate Despair. She used whatever means necessary to paint the world in despair. The killing game of the 78th class of Hope’s Peak was the same way, trapped by despair, forced into a killing game. But after Junko died the case was closed, and the world slowly began to recover.

But Junko’s disciples, the Remnants of Despair, weren’t done showing chaos. The Future Foundation fought against them, trying to restore order, but the war between hope and despair grew more and more extreme. The fight raged on, but came to a sudden end.

From there you could finally remember the truth, all of it. One day, terrible despair suddenly rained from the sky, a countless number of meteorites falling upon the world, carrying an unknown virus. Emboldened by the overwhelming despair, the Remnants strived for the damnation of humanity. The Future Foundation was overwhelmed by the renewed despair and quickly lost influence, but then, Makoto Naegi with the former members of the Future Foundation started the Gofer project.

Seventeen Hope’s Peak students were selected, you among them. No, you weren’t selected for the project, you were the only Ultimate’s left. The mysterious virus from the meteorites had spread rapidly around the world, leaving humanity on the brink of extinction. Hope had almost triumphed, but cruel despair came roaring back to over take the world. For some reason, you happened to be immune to the virus. That was the reason you were chosen for the Gofer project.

With a wave of nausea you finally came to, the brightness of the flashlight fading away as all the memories from before filled your mind. A throbbing pain erupted from your temples, soon mitigating as you stumbled in your place, steadying your arm on one of the dining hall chairs. Everyone seemed to be experiencing vertigo as well, though they all dawned the same look of realization.

Shuichi lifted his head up from the position it was bowed in, his gaze falling over everyone’s forms urgently, “Everyone, did you remember!?”

“Yes! I can vividly recall everything now! How on Earth could we forget something so important? We were all students of Hope’s Peak Academy!” Kiibo exclaimed, “We were the symbols of hope entrusted with the survival of humanity.”

Maki scrunched her eyebrows together in thought, “Except for… one person. Kokichi, the mastermind behind this killing game. His organization’s real identity were the Remnants of Despair. Out of all of us, he is the closest to the Ultimate Despair.”

You felt your knees grow weak from under you, the color draining from your face as soon as those words left Maki’s mouth. No… DICE was nothing like that at all, they were nothing close to the Remnants of Despair, but the more you searched your memories the more those allegations were proven true. Your stomach turned as you started to back away, the others noticing your odd behavior. Shuichi moved closer to you, his hand extending towards your shoulder as he asked, “Are you alright? You look like you’re going to be sick.”

“I think I’m going to throw up.”

Before anyone could stop you, you ran out of the room, your legs moving on their own as they carried you through the school with fervor. You didn't want to go back to your dorm, no, that was just a reminder of the hell you were stuck inside. Home is the only place you could think of, thoughts of your past life before the despair flooding your mind as your feet carried you up countless flights of stairs, slowing down once you reached the fourth floor.

The air was stagnant, heavy on your shoulders as you made your way through the corridors. After Angie and Korekiyo died, you found yourself avoiding the floor altogether, but now none of that mattered. You needed to be _home_.

Your hand hesitated over the doorknob of your lab, shaking as your fingers wrapped around the cool metal, pushing open the door as you exhaled a deep breath. It was just how you left it, the pillows on the couch askew and the small stage at the back scattered with various different costumes and props. Just days prior you and Miu had thrown an impromptu fashion show, complete with feathered boa’s and vibrant tutu’s. A smile tugged at your lips, it was almost as if you could still hear your laughter filling the air.

Blinking hard, you turned away from the scene, moving to the table behind you where a record player sat. Your favorite album was already set up, awaiting for you to switch it on so it’s calming melody could play through the speakers. It was something you’d often listen to with patients, the soothingness of the piano allowing for their minds to enter a more vulnerable state. Though your fingers were shaking, you placed the needle on the vinyl, closing your eyes shortly after to fully lose yourself to the beautiful refrain.

But of course, your relaxation didn’t last very long. The memories you just gained clouded your mind as you moved to the mirror, resting your hands on the desk below as you leaned forward. Kokichi, a remnant of despair? There was no way he could be, not even close. You were in DICE, you knew him and the organization as well as one could; they were completely harmless. Or so you thought. Were the memories you even had with him real? The fun you two shared that allowed you to finally open up, were those all fake?

No, they weren’t. They couldn’t be, you knew Kokichi like the back of your hand, there was no way he’d ever organize something as cruel as the killing game. It had to be the work of the true mastermind, using Kokichi as a puppet to throw everyone off their trail. It was the only logical explanation, or maybe that was just your mind trying to come up with an excuse, an answer to something you couldn’t comprehend.

Your fingers curled upwards, gripping the desk with white knuckles. _This_ is what they wanted, true despair to fill your head until you couldn’t take it any longer. You needed to see him, talk to him, try to piece together reality from fiction. He couldn’t be the mastermind, he would never do this to you, you thought. Biting your lip, you found the strength to look up at your reflection. What greeted you wasn’t the same person who had entered the game; eyes deep and sunken in from lack of sleep, face pallid, hair unkempt in a mess framing your face. This girl was you, who you were now after being met with the horrors of mortality.

A movement at the corner of the mirror caught your attention, a swift flash of red near the entrance of your lab. With a furrowed brow you turned, though you were met with the same vacancy of the room as before. It was strange, you thought to yourself, focusing back on the mirror. It was as you brought your fingers up to touch your blanched skin that you noticed. She was close behind you, her face deadly in all aspects.

Whirling around, you jumped to the side as she lunged at you, hitting the desk where your body had been previously. A flash of silver glimmered in her hand, the distinguishable form of a dagger gripped in her slender fingers. You didn’t know why, but she was aiming to kill you.

Backing away, you held your hands in front of you defensively, “Maki… Maki please… you don’t have to do this.”

“Don’t have to do this!?” she growled, brandishing the knife threateningly as she approached you, “I don’t care if it kills me, I’m going to defeat the mastermind and get everyone out of here. And that means starting with you.”

“What?”

“Don’t give me that, Shuichi told everyone your secret after you ran off. How you’re in Kokichi’s organization, how you knew him before this whole game even started.” Before you could make it to the door she ran to block it, holding out the dagger towards your heart, “You’re a remnant of despair too, you’re helping him with this whole killing game! Shuichi wants to trust you, he said we should try, but I know you’re going to trick us just like _he_ did. You’re using your talent, aren’t you? Hypnotising us into trusting you without us even knowing!?”

You were cornered, trapped in you own lab with the Ultimate Assassin. Letting out a trembling breath, you tried to reason with her, “Maki, please, you don’t know the whole story. If you put down the knife I’ll explain everything.”

“...No.”

With that she lunged at you again, tackling you to the ground. She was straddling you in an instant, her legs on either side of your body as she brought the knife down towards your form. You tried to block, grabbing her wrist with your hands, though she was too strong. In seconds she wrestled her arm from your grasp, letting out a yell as she plunged the blade of the dagger into your stomach.

A searing pain bloomed around the area, the most pain you had ever felt in your life. You couldn’t talk, couldn’t move, as tears pooled in the corners of your eyes. She pulled the knife out from your abdomen, eliciting a scream of pain from your throat. A warm substance covered the area, sticking to your clothes and staining her once-silver dagger crimson.

She brought the knife down once again, blood speckling her cheek as she stabbed it into your chest. That time, you couldn’t feel anything. Perhaps it was shock. Or maybe you were already too far gone to feel anything but cold. Your vision blurred, everything going double as your consciousness faded in and out. A few more times you saw her bring the dagger up in the air, only to have it disappear somewhere else on your body. But you couldn’t feel a thing.

It was hard to tell when you completely lost consciousness, but soon enough your mind was plunged into darkness. No matter how hard you fought it, in the end, everything was futile. Your senses were lost in the void of black, as were all your thoughts. Nothing existed anymore.

You didn’t exist anymore.

 

_Seven/Seventeen_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You got your wish... I didn't kill off Kokichi >:)  
> Oh, but before you click off please know this isn't the end! I have more coming, so please make sure you keep an eye out for future chapters!


	9. Farewell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh I'm sorry this is late! My week has just been so hectic I barely had any time to write, but I eventually finished it and I'm pretty proud of the result!!

“Oh, my, my, how peculiar. In the midst of all this wonderful despair a body has been discovered! Please everyone make their way to the Ultimate Hypnotist’s research lab to start your investigation!”

The words of Monokuma resonated throughout the exisal hangar, echoing off the walls following a looming silence. Kokichi was sat on the floor, his back leaning against the cool metal of the hydraulic press as he pulled his knees to his chest. It was already crystal clear to him what he was going to do, to create a murder no one could solve, but when he heard those words ring out from the monitor all thoughts of his plan abandoned him.

 _She_ was the only person who ever went into her lab now that Miu was gone, it was almost like her safe space. And considering the events that conspired that night, it would’ve been a given that she would retreat to her lab, seeking the comfort it gave off. But he didn’t want to believe it, he didn’t want it to be logical. Because if he stuck with logic, she would’ve been the body the announcement was referring to.

Without even thinking he shot up to his feet, casting a glance to the bathroom on the opposite side of the room. Kaito was locked in there, regaining consciousness shortly after Kokichi retreated to the hangar. At first he was livid, hitting the door as hard as he could in an attempt to escape, but after a while he had given up. Maybe he was asleep now, maybe he just stopped fighting, but whatever the case, Kokichi had to let him go.

Despite the feeling of restlessness that settled in his stomach, he made his way in the opposite direction, opening the door to the bathroom. As soon as he did so Kaito jumped on him, tackling his small form to the ground as he reeled his arm upwards, aiming a hit straight for his jaw. Kokichi let out a stifled yelp at the pain, stopping Kaito before he could lift his hand up once more, “Hey, idiot, do you wanna get out of this place or what!?”

Kaito paused, his fist balled above his head as a look of confusion graced his features, “Huh? What do you mean?” His expression quickly changed to one of anger, “Wait, you’re just trying to trick me again, aren’t you?”

“I wish I was, but sadly I’m completely honest. Didn’t you hear the announcement? A body was found,” Kokichi explained, struggling out of his grasp and jumping to his feet.

Kaito pulled himself up as well, albeit a bit slower than the other had, taking a few steps backwards, “What? No, I can’t hear anything in there. But I thought the killing game was over, _you_ ended it. There wouldn’t even be a motive for someone to kill anymore.”

“Well apparently they did have a motive, because a body was found in (y/n)’s lab,” Kokichi explained, his voice faltering slightly when her name left his mouth. Ignoring the slip-up, he continued, “And who knows, maybe I decided this wasn’t so boring after all! Now, if you don’t want to die in this class trial you should probably take this opportunity to escape.”

Kaito’s face lit up once he spotted the opened door of the exisal hangar, not even muttering out a response before bolting out into the corridor despite his injuries. His heavy footsteps resounded through the structure until they slowly faded away, leaving Kokichi in complete solitude as the silence weighed on his shoulders. Letting out a sigh, he kicked the floor, dust wisping into the air from the action as he shoved his hands into his pockets. The curiosity was eating away at his mind, but at the same time he didn’t want an answer. He just wanted to believe, if only for a few moments longer, that everything was going to be alright.

Clenching his fists, he let his concern get the best of him as he sprinted out of the hangar, all previous thoughts gone from his mind. The only thing he could think about now was (y/n), hoping, _praying_ she was alright. He flew up the front steps to the entrance with little restraint, pushing open the doors and making a break for the stairs. How could he have been so stupid before, hesitating in a moment like this?

He couldn’t even feel his legs grow weak the longer he continued to run, pure adrenaline keeping him going as he traversed through the familiar corridors leading up to the fourth floor. It felt like an eternity until he reached the lab, the entrance of polished wood far too elegant against the weathered stone beside it. The last time he had been up there was the day Angie and Tenko died, teasing the girls, as well as Kiibo, as they sat on the floor in the midst of their game of “Never Have I Ever”. Back then, it was almost as if they were normal students.

Now, as he stood before her lab with trembling hands, he knew they were anything but. His fingers wrapped around the silver metal of the doorknob as he tugged it open, his pulse racing as the scent of iron filled his nose. Near the center of the room were his peers, circled around an indistinguishable form crumpled on the ground. At the sound of him entering they turned, their expressions filled with both worry and hatred as he got closer.

“Aw, don’t give me those faces. Save them for the one who was stupid enough to kill after the game was over. Now who’s the victim?” Kokichi asked, trying to keep his voice from shaking when he spoke.

Nobody responded, eliciting a scoff from him as he pushed past the group, “Oh come on, don’t get all tongue-tied. It’s not like they were important or anything-”

He stopped in his tracks, the words catching in his throat as soon as he laid eyes upon the scene before him. (y/n) was laying on her back, face drained of all color as crimson painted her body. Blood was pooled on the carpet underneath her, smearing on her arms and hands from what he could only assume was her struggling. It… was impossible. She couldn’t be dead, right?

A laugh sounded from his lips, strained as he looked to the others, “Okay, very funny guys, but I’m not falling for this crap. Nice try though, but you can’t prank the pranking master. Now cut it out, and (y/n) get up!”

Shuichi shook his head, eyes glassy as he spoke, “Kokichi… this isn’t a prank.”

“No… no, it has to be. She can’t be dead, you idiot, this whole killing game is over. Nobody was supposed to die,” he said, voice faltering the longer he spoke. He was trembling all over now, anger taking over his mind as he stared down at (y/n), “Who did this? Tell me right now, who the hell did this!?”

He could feel a presence grow behind him, Kaito’s voice ringing out harshly, “Shouldn’t you know who did it!? You’re the mastermind, you should know who killed her.”

Tears welled up in the corners of his eyes as the situation was finally starting to set in. His knees gave out from under him as he collapsed to the floor, his hand firmly placed over his mouth to stifle the sobs that threatened to escape. With all the strength he could muster, he shut his eyes tightly and muttered through his fingers, “I wish that were true. I really wish that wasn’t a lie.”

Kaito recoiled, “A lie? Don’t tell me-”

“I’m not the mastermind, alright? I lied to you all about that, including her, so no, I don’t know who did it!” he explained, voice sharp as he clenched his fist, feeling his fingernails digging into the flesh of his palm.

Maki watched him warily with narrowed eyes, “Do you really expect us to believe that? You’ve spent this whole game lying to us, why should we start believing you now?”

“Why would I lie when my girlfriend is dead inches away from me!?” He yelled, whipping his head up to meet her gaze. His face was the most vulnerable anybody had ever seen it, eyes bloodshot as he looked to everyone with dampened cheeks, wiping them off quickly with the back of his sleeve, “She’s been my best friend for years, way longer than any of you assholes have even known each other! And now she’s gone, murdered because of this fucking killing game! So please tell me, why the hell would I lie _now_ of all times!?”

Everyone was stunned to silence, allowing him the opportunity to pull himself back onto his feet as he looked down at her lifeless body. He could still see a hint of pain contorted on her face, though her eyes were closed peacefully. It was almost as if she were stuck in a nightmare, her brow furrowed as her lips were slightly parted, the corners quirking downwards into a frown. He almost wanted to believe she would rouse at any moment, greeting him with the same bright smile she always did, but he knew it was too late to see that grin again.

Had she died believing he was the mastermind? Were the fleeting moments she was still alive spent in a state of unrest, thinking he was the one behind her misery? The thought alone was too much for him to handle, guilt welling up inside him. Blinking hard, he regarded the group once again with narrowed eyes, “Who did it!? Tell me right now, who killed her!?”

“I’m sorry…” Shuichi said, his voice quiet as it cracked with regret, “I… I was the reason she died. After Kirumi’s execution she told me about your relationship, she confided in me about it and I promised not to tell anyone… but I did.” He paused, taking a shaky breath as he avoided Kokichi’s threatening gaze, “After you said you were the mastermind we got a flashback light. We used it and she ran off alone afterwards, and I didn’t know what to do. I thought… I thought it would be the best to tell everyone else what she told me.”

Before anyone could restrain him Kokichi lunged at Shuichi, his fist finding its way to the others cheek with a sharp jab. Shuichi stumbled backwards as he held his face in pain, but didn’t resist as the smaller boy grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him close to him with white knuckles. The look in his bloodshot eyes could only be described as pure, unbridled rage as he growled, “You… this is all your fault! She trusted you! Up until the moment she died she trusted you and you betrayed her!”

Kaito ran up to the two, reaching out to break them apart, “Kokichi-”

“No,” Shuichi objected, causing him to stop in his place, “He’s right. She confided in me and I divulged her biggest secret, and that’s what killed her. I just… I thought that since she was in Kokichi’s organization she might’ve had a part in this, but deep down I knew she really didn’t. I wanted the others to have that same feeling, but obviously it wasn’t shared. I’m so sorry.”

Kokichi let go of his collar, pushing him to the ground in distaste as he wiped his eyes, though the tears kept falling. The sight alone was enough to shock anyone who thought they knew him, watching his personality break down right before their eyes. There were no lies in his actions, no lies in his words as a sob wracked his body, voice barely comprehensive through the distress, “I-I just wanted to end this whole thing. It was supposed to be me in her place, she was supposed to survive until the end!”

“You in her place? Kokichi, what is that supposed to mean? Were you going to…?” Shuchi trailed off, the question hanging in the air heavily.

He shook his head quickly, clasping a hand over his mouth once again, “I think I’m going to throw up.”

Nobody stopped him as he rushed out of the room, the large wooden door slamming behind him as he ran into the corridor. He didn’t know where he was going, or how long he would be running for, the only thing on his mind being the thought of _her_. (y/n), bloodied and lifeless as she laid on the floor of her beloved lab. She was so much more than just his girlfriend, more than just some petty high school romance. Above all, she was his best friend, the only person in this world he knew he could always rely on. And now, his only sense of comfort in the killing game was dead, and she wasn’t coming back.

Somehow he found himself in the library, dragging his hand along the stacks of books as he passed by the shelves. Everyone avoided the area now, as they did for most of the other previous murder scenes, but returning to the smell of old books brought him a solace from reality. Letting out a sigh, he dropped down in a spot near the corner, resting his head on the shelf behind him as he closed his eyes.

Silence filled the air, soothing him as the tears came to a stop. Just as he calmed, however, the heavy door of the front entrance swung open, the sound of footsteps following soon after. He tried to block them out, but soon enough their presence was right in front of him, a soft voice ringing out to accompany them, “Kokichi?”

He refused to acknowledge the person it belonged to, though they weren't easy to give up. After a moment's hesitation their presence was beside him, taking a seat on the floor just inches away. Neither spoke, but the warmth radiating off the other was comforting in itself.

A while passed before Kokichi opened his eyes, looking them in confusion, “What do you want? Can’t you see I’m mourning?”

Shuichi lowered his head, gaze unable to meet his stare, “I’m sorry… I really am. You know, I could say that a million times and it still wouldn’t convey how much I regret what I did. I’m not going to make any excuses, because even if I thought at the time it was for the best, it was never my secret to tell. And because of that she ended up…” he trailed off, voice cracking in pain as he tried to continue, “(y/n) ended up getting killed. God, I just… I’m so sorry.”

“Jesus, don’t go having your little pity party in my space. This is my grieving corner, go get your own,” Kokichi responded, earning the faintest smile from the other “You’re right though, it wasn’t your secret to tell. But you shouldn’t be apologizing to me, you should be apologizing to _her._ I… I have to do that as well. It wasn't only your fault that this happened.”

“Out of all people, I would’ve never thought you’d be the one telling me that,” Shuichi mused, his grin stronger this time.

Kokichi returned it, the genuinity appearing unnatural on his features, “Yeah well, just as you told the secret, I was the reason she had to keep it hidden in the first place. Because let’s face it, she didn’t die because you told the others she was in my organization. She died because I convinced everyone I was a threat, and in turn, she was a threat. If anyone is to blame here, it’s me.”

“That’s not true, I don’t think you should blame yourself either. Since Kaede died I learned a lot, and I know now that her death wasn’t my fault. You need to know that too. What you did was really shitty, but the reason she died is because someone killed her, not because of your mistakes. And as guilty as I feel, I don’t think either of us should be placing all the blame on ourselves.”

Kokichi shook his head, “You say that, but you know we’re still going to do it anyways. It inevitable.”

“Yeah, but the least we can do right now is try to forgive ourselves. Trust me, the last thing she’s want is for us to be stuck living in all this regret. And I know that if she were here, she’d forgive us as well,” Shuichi said with conviction, a small chuckle escaping his lips, “Though she’d probably punch us first.”

Kokichi laughed, “Oh, she’d punch us for sure. _I’d_ punch us.”

Shuichi nodded, pulling his knees up to his chest, “I would too. You know… you’re a lot more decent to talk to when you’re being honest. You actually seem human now compared to the rouse you put up around us.”

“Oh it’s not a rouse, I’m lying to you right now,” he joked, looking down to the floor before continuing, “It feels weird. (y/n)’s the only one who ever sees me like this. I don’t like being vulnerable, especially in front of all these people that probably hate me.” He shifted his gaze back to Shuichi, “She was like that as well, though. That’s why she always seemed so happy or easy-going, she hated feeling vulnerable, but in front of each other we were able to be ourselves. I think that’s why we were so close, even before we started dating.”

His expression shifted to one of interest, “What was it like for the two of you? Before the game, that is.”

“Before the game?” Kokichi started, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. Subconsciously, his hand found its way to his hair, twirling one of the longer strands around his finger as he spoke, “Well, when we met in high school she was kind of a shut-in. She kept to herself and barely spoke, but one of my friends made it her mission to coax her out of her shell. Hana pestered her day and night until she finally opened up to us, and that’s when I realized how freaking miserable she was with her talent.”

Shuichi raised an eyebrow, “Miserable? When she talked to me about it before she seemed to really enjoy having it, especially when it came to helping others.”

“Oh she did love it, but her parents put her under so much stress to perfect it. She never even really had any friends before us, so when I found out about it I knew I needed to do something. And that’s when I took her under my wing.”

“How noble of you.”

He feigned a look of dismay, “It _is_ noble, I showed that poor girl what fun is actually like. And after a while she finally opened up to me completely, and we ended up getting really close. She even joined my organization.” His cheeks flushed a light pink, “We didn’t start dating until a year later, but to be completely honest I liked her since the beginning. I never had the guts to tell her that, though.”

“You should’ve, she felt the same way,” Shuichi said, watching the other’s face light up, “She told me a while ago that she developed a crush on you a few weeks after you met.”

Kokichi let out a light chuckle, “That dork, she should’ve confessed sooner. It was obvious I liked her, all of our friends thought it was painfully clear. But, both of us must’ve been too stubborn to realize the other’s feelings.”

“Wait, she was the one that confessed to you? I was almost sure it was the other way around,” Shuichi mused.

He shook his head, “Nope, she beat me to it. Our friends decided it would be a great idea to push us into a storage closet once and lock the door. We must’ve been stuck in there for a half an hour before she confessed, but when she finally did I accepted. We didn’t know that her friends were listening through the door the entire time, though, but as soon as I said I liked her too they let us out.”

“I don’t know why I was expecting something more romantic from the two of you, but that story really fits your relationship well,” Shuichi said, earning a small laugh from Kokichi. With a matching grin he glanced down at his watch, eyes widening at the time, “Crap, we gotta get back up to (y/n)’s lab. The investigation is ending in a half an hour.”

Kokichi stiffened up, ignoring his request as he watched Shuichi stand, refusing to move from his spot on the floor, “I don’t know if I wanna go back there.”

Holding out his hand, Shuichi prompted the other to take it, “I know, but if you do then you could finally say goodbye to her. Tell her you’re sorry for everything that’s happened. You shouldn’t be stuck here alone without that kind of closure.”

“I…” Kokichi trailed off, staring at his hand with hesitance before complying, unsteadily helping himself to his feet. Instead of letting go, however, he tugged Shuichi closer into a hug, “Thank you. I never thought I’d be saying that to a loser like you, but that helped me a lot.”

Shuichi recoiled in shock but returned the embrace, feeling as Kokichi tightened his grip around his shoulders with shaking arms. It was like he turned into a completely different person, the walls that once surrounded his vulnerability torn down completely. Clumsily patting his back, Shuichi pulled away, “Come on, we don’t have much time.”

“Alright, sorry,” he apologized, reluctantly letting go before his usual grin tugged at his lips, “Don’t you dare tell anybody about this, mkay? My organization has ten thousand members, so if you go spilling more secrets I’ll have no choice but to make them take care of you.”

He rolled his eyes, turning to start towards the exit, “And just when I thought you were getting better…”

Kokichi followed after him with a chuckle, “Nah, that’s too boring. I know you missed my lies anyways, it was getting too gloomy in here with all this depressing stuff. Now hurry up, if you don’t investigate we’re fucked for the class trial, Mr. Detective.”

“Hey, you shouldn’t be relying on me so much for the class trials!” Shuichi protested.

Kokichi flung open the library door, ”But if I don’t put all that pressure on you, then who will? I don’t want you to get lazy and slack off, Shuichi. Besides, no one else is as good at all this detective stuff as you are.”

“That still doesn’t mean you should make me do everything!”

“But I’m gonna!”

With that Kokichi sprinted down the corridor, leaving Shuichi in a state of frustration as he followed behind, though he didn’t say anything else. With a childish-like energy Kokichi bounded up the stairs, his expression masking the anxiety that began to well up in his chest. Seeing (y/n)’s body again, stained crimson as the scent of iron covered her usual perfume, was almost too much for him to handle. But he had to say goodbye, tell her one last time everything he felt.

Before he knew it he was standing outside her lab, the same hesitation he felt before creeping up his spine. Clenching his jaw, he pushed the feeling to the back of his mind as he forced himself to open the door, the light from the room streaming into the hall as he entered. A few heads turned, surprise crossing their features as he looked around warily, though no one said a thing as they resumed their investigation.

With trembling legs he knelt down beside her head, his hand subconsciously reaching down to brush the hair from her face. The skin of her cheek was like ice, frigid to the touch as his fingers gently brushed against the surface. Not too long ago she was warm, looking to him with flushed cheeks and pink lips that formed into a smile. But now everything was pallid, the colors that once blessed her skin dull and cold under the fluorescent lights hanging overhead. She didn’t look like herself, like the girl he’d known for so long.

He took a deep breath as he searched his mind for the right words, trying to find the sentences that would convey everything he needed to. Blinking hard, he started, “Hey. This is… not how I wanted this to go down. You being alive would’ve been the most preferable, but it’s a little too late for that, huh? Anyways, I… I just wanted to tell you I’m sorry. For everything.”

The corners of his eyes stung, but he continued regardless, ignoring the looks of those listening in around him, “You know… I’m not usually one to apologize ‘cause I’m way stubborn to admit when you’re right, b-but I should’ve told you about what I was planning. I knew you’d try to stop me if I did, so I kept it to myself and in the end that ended up getting you… getting you killed. And I’m so sorry.

“But sorry isn’t going to bring you back… though I hope it will at least make me feel better. It’s probably going to take a lot more than an apology to help me forgive myself, so I hope wherever you are, you’ll forgive me as well. I’ve been… an idiot. The biggest idiot on the planet, but I still love you. I never really said it, and you probably didn’t believe me when I told you a few days ago, but it’s true. And now that you’re gone… I’m so lost. I-I don’t know what to do anymore.”

He didn’t even notice anyone approach him, giving a start as he felt a hand clasp him on the shoulder. Looking up in shock, he was met with Kaito, a sympathetic expression crossing his features as he knelt down beside Kokichi, “You keep living, that’s what you do.”

Quickly wiping off his cheeks with the back of his sleeve, the other raised an eyebrow in confusion, “What?”

“You said you didn’t know what to do anymore, I gave you an answer. You need to stay alive for her sake. Show her that her death meant something,” Kaito explained, looking over (y/n)’s body with a pained expression, “You’re a dick, the biggest asshole I’ve ever met in my life, but she saw something in you. What it was, I have no fucking clue, but if she saw some good in your personality then I’ll try to as well. It’s going to be hard, and you know I hate you with all of my being, but I’m going to try. And you should to.”

“Try to be your friend?” he asked, voice hoarse as he spoke, “That’s easy, I just need to lower my IQ a few points.”

Kaito rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he hit him on the arm, “No, try to actually be a decent person worth redeeming. Because I’m not wasting my time if you don’t.”

A silence fell over the two of them, Kaito watching him expectantly as he waited for an answer. Kokichi’s gaze was trained on the floor in thought before finally giving a reluctant nod, eliciting a grin from the other. Patting him on the back, Kaito pulled himself up from the floor with a satisfied expression, leaving him alone once again.

Shortly after the monitor switched on, displaying the cocky form of Monokuma lounging in a plush chair. He took a sip of his champagne, swishing the liquid around in his glass as he spoke, “Well then, I’m getting tired of waiting, so it’s time for the class trial you’ve all been waiting for! So everyone please make your way inside the Altar of Judgement in the courtyard right away.”

From the corners of his vision he watched as those still in the lab obliged, filing out of the room until he was in complete solitude, unable to move from where he was sat on the carpet. His eyes found (y/n) for what would most likely be the last time, mind running wild with memories from when she was alive. He knew sometime in his life he would have to let her go, though he never expected it to be so soon. And he never expected it to be like this.

Leaning forward, he pressed a swift kiss to her forehead before pulling himself up, a strained smile tugging at the corners of his lips. Taking one last look at her, he whispered just loud enough for his voice to be heard, “Goodbye (y/n).”

 

_It was much after dark, the night air gently blowing the long locks of hair behind him, a few stray strands of violet tickling his cheeks before falling back into place as the wind died down. The view from his roof was one he enjoyed the most, the streetlights illuminating all the houses underneath in an eerie yellow light. Most of the time he would sit and watch as the occasional car or pedestrian passed by, getting more and more scarce as the night progressed on, but tonight was different._

_He pulled his blanket tighter around his shoulders, letting out a sigh as he leaned backwards against the slanted surface. The stars that usually twinkled in the sky were dimmed from the light shining below, a curse of living in the city, though they were still visible as he focused on each individual flare. As a kid, and even in adolescence, he never cared much for the constellations, though now he couldn’t help but regret it._

_Going back inside wasn’t an option for him, at least not now. The closed space made him feel trapped, confined in his own thoughts, as opposed to the open freedom provided by the night. Usually on occasions like this a quick text to her would ease his feelings of panic, but it was much too late. And though he had no doubt she would respond, the guilt that came along with waking her was too much for him to outweigh._

_Leaning up on his elbows, he looked passed the trees that littered his block, eyes landing on one house in the distance. All the lights were out, save for the one on the porch that illuminated the familiar address attached to the front of the brick wall. Her house wasn’t far, not at all, though he couldn’t help but feel as if the distance was much greater._

_With a sigh he fell back down to his original position, the stars greeting him once again. She always was a fan of their beauty, always insisting they spent time on the roof whenever the sun set, though he was much more a fan of hers. The way she smiled through the dark, the dorky and imperfect laugh that seemed to accompany her signature grin, the way her eyes seemed to twinkle whenever she spoke of something she was passionate about. The stars, in his eyes, were no competition for the girl he’d come to love._

_But as he stared up at the sky, head filled with thoughts of inadequacy, he couldn’t help but feel a tug of wonder in his mind. Perhaps this was what she felt, the reason she was always inclined to gaze at the stars with a look conveying the same emotion. If so, he wouldn’t mind feeling it again._

_After all, if she wasn’t there, at least he still had the stars._

 

_Seven/Seventeen_


	10. Renewal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so please don't kill me! I know this is like very late, and I mean VERY late, but a lot of shit has been going on (SAT's, school play, new relationship, etc) so I haven't had much time or motivation to write at all, but I was determined recently and got this done for you guys!! I hope you like the final chapter of this long story, and I just want to thank you all for sticking with me for this long. I love you all so much, and I really couldn't tell you all how much I appreciate every comment, kudos, and bookmark you leave on this story!

Everything was dark. Everything was silent.

It was as if you had faded into nothingness, the inky black hands of unconsciousness pulling you under as reality dissipated from your cognition. You fought as you tried to escape it’s tempting grip, but in the end the effort was futile. The darkness enveloped your mind as you gave in, taking over all your senses until your thoughts escaped you. And with that the world drifted away, leaving you in a state of dreamless rest.

But then, through the darkness a brilliant flash of light roared to life. It pulled you out from the cloak of black that shrouded your consciousness, reality revealing itself as the luminescence grew brighter and brighter. Until finally your eyes fluttered open, heavy with fatigue as they adjusted to the white walls that closely surrounded your form. The only sound you could hear was that of your own breathing, heavy as confusion had began to set in. Where were you?

Memories flashed before your eyes as you tried to piece everything together, the last thing you were able to recollect being Maki. The way her form hovered over you as she plunged the blade of a dagger into your stomach, your screams filling the room as tears blurred your vision. Clutching the area where the knife had hit, you could almost still feel the searing pain that ripped at your abdomen once again. Curiously, you lifted the hem of your shirt to expose the flesh of your stomach, being met with it’s perfectly intact surface. There were no wounds, lacerations, or scars like you expected. There was evidence to ever suggest you had faced any harm. 

You ran your fingers over the soft skin, cold to the touch as they made contact with your abdomen. But even so, you allowed your hand to inspect the area, being met with the same unbroken flesh you had observed. There was no way. Even if you  _ had _ survived, there would have been major scars left over. Not to mention the other wounds you accumulated throughout the game, from the underground passage to the many times you injured yourself due to your knack for the reckless. Where did all of those wounds go? The bruises and cuts that scattered your body, leaving behind pale pink scars. It was as if they all had disappeared, like they had never happened in the first place. 

The thought left your mind as quickly as it entered, being forced out as you tried to rationalize. Everything had been real, there was no way it couldn’t be. The memories of your time inside the game were much too vivid to be false, the details fresh in your head as you thought back. But through everything you remembered, the walls that surrounded you weren’t familiar.  Wherever you ended up was someplace entirely new. 

Without thinking you extended your hand in front of you, fingers running along the smooth rounded surface that circled your body. It was a confinement of sorts, similar to the locker you had ended up in at the beginning of the game. But just from a quick look you could tell it was nowhere near the likes of the aforementioned, giving off a high-tech feeling as your hand rested on the cool metal. Maybe that is what healed you, you thought, maybe it used some type of sci-fi-like science you had no idea existed. 

Rolling your eyes, you dismissed the silly thought with a swift shake of your head. It was then that you felt a tug at your temples, the sensation of a device attached to the area. Cautiously, you reached up, feeling the metallic surface of a headset rested at the crown of your skull, several sensors branching off to adhere onto various points of your head and face. Eyes widening, you could feel the panic begin to form in the pit of your stomach as you ripped off one of the sensors, a sting of pain accompanying the motion. The reason for the headset was unknown to you, and you wanted to keep it that way.

Hastily, you ripped the rest of the sensors off, removing the headset entirely to examine the device with curiosity.  It was a metallic shade of black with an odd shape, several long wires attached to the back where the nape of your neck had been, leading to the area behind you and through a small hole in the confinement. Beyond that, you had no idea where it might’ve gone, and more importantly, you had no idea what it was being used for.

Dropping the device on the floor beside your feet, you shifted your attention back to the rounded white enclosure, it’s presence seeming more threatening with the addition of your headset. The entirety of it was smooth, giving the impression of there being no exit or way of escape. But as you pressed your palm on the area ahead of you, you could feel the wall give under your touch, opening slowly to reveal what awaited outside your confinement. The lights were somehow brighter than the interior as you shielded your eyes from the blinding glow, a minute passing before everything became clear.

The first thing you noticed were the pods, a number of tall structures lined up against the walls of the room you found yourself in, the place itself being entirely unfamiliar. Everything was cloaked in white, eerily pristine as the smell of iodoform paralleled that of a hospital. Goosebumps formed on your arms as you stepped over the threshold of your pod, the cool air hitting your arms briskly, though you paid no attention to the unpleasantness. The only thing you could find yourself focusing on was the sight before you. 

Though some of the other pods remained closed, most were open just like yours was, familiar faces stumbling out of them with the similar baffled expressions. The panic you felt previously grew as your heart sped up, recognizing each and every person who made their way out of the pods. They were your classmates, all the people who were thrown into the killing game with you. All the people who died in the game with you

Watching in awe, you saw as Kaede stumbled out from her confinement, nearly tripping as one of her hands subconsciously clutched at her neck. Her face was pallid as she glanced around in a similar way to you, spotting Rantaro with a mixture of fear and remorse in her eyes. He, on the other hand, failed to notice, running his fingers through his hair with a pained disposition. The rest of the students acted in a similar manner to the two of them, leaving you to observe their actions in a morbid curiosity. Ryoma coughed roughly into his sleeve, Kirumi approaching him apologetically as she comfortingly placed a hand on his shoulder, Gonta doing the same for the panicked Miu who had retreated into a corner.

You felt the anxiety begin to settle once you spotted Miu, the sight of her face calming your mind. She was alright, she was  _ alive. _ With little reserve you began to make your way towards her, feeling the sting of tears build up in the corners of your eyes, though the motion of a pod opening a few feet away stopped you in your tracks. A figure clad in red stepped out slowly as she clutched the space over her heart, blanching as she looked around to meet your tentative gaze. Before you could react, however, she turned away in shame, clenching her fist with white knuckles. You wanted to say something, anything to her, but fear rooted you to your place as the memories of what she did played through your mind. 

The sight of Maki was enough to paralyze your movements, any thoughts of getting to Miu being replaced with pure anxiety. The most you could do was watch as the pods around you opened one by one, more of your peers emerging until all of the structures were vacant, the students voices filling the air with confused chatter and emotional reunions. But out of all of them, only one voice brought you out of your haze as it called out from behind you, it’s tone filled with disbelief, “(y/n)!?”

Turning on your heel, you were met with a familiar form a few feet away, his small stature in a rigid state of shock. The violet eyes you knew so well were bloodshot, a tear escaping from the corner as he mouthed your name once more. In a second you were running to him with little reserve, Kokichi following suit as he wrapped his arms securely around your waist, lifting you into the air with a painfully tight grip. You buried your head in his shoulder as he twirled you around, earning the faintest giggle from your lips.

As he set you down you refused to release the embrace, failing to stifle a sob as you held him as close as you could, feeling him stroke your hair in an effort to soothe you. Even as he did so you couldn’t help but feel a few of his own tears land on your shoulder, growing more consistent the longer he held you. After a few minutes Kokichi spoke, voice hoarse and he whispered just loud enough for you to hear, “I thought you were dead. T-There was blood… you weren’t breathing. The announcement played, a-and oh my god I thought I lost you, (y/n). I thought I lost you…”

Pulling away, you wiped your cheeks with the back of your sleeve and took a shaky breath, “I don’t know what happened, I thought she killed me. I thought I was dead… I  _ knew _ I was dead,” you explained, meeting his eyes with remorse, “I’m so sorry, I couldn’t escape. You were right, I really can’t take on an assassin.”

“Of course I’m right, you idiot,” he chided, letting out a weak chuckle as he copied you, wiping off his face with the back of his sleeve, “I’m just so fucking happy you’re okay. I almost gave up when I saw you like that… I’m just… I’m just so glad you’re alright.”

“I know, I am too. I mean, it would kinda suck if I was dead, right?” you joked, a smile tugging at the corners of your lips. He returned the grin, nodding in agreement as he pulled you into another embrace, pressing a kiss to your forehead as he did so. His grip was looser than it was previously, but the feelings behind it were clear. You closed your eyes, breathing in his scent like you had done so many times before. It had always been comforting, just knowing the boy you loved so much was right there with you.

Pressing a light kiss to his shoulder, you rested your chin on the spot shortly after, voice quiet as you asked him the one question that ran through your mind, “Hey Kichi, did you… did you survive?”

He nodded, “Yeah, until the very end. It was Kaito, Shuichi, Himiko, and I. We all got to leave that place together after your trial,” he explained, pulling away with downcast eyes, “Kiibo destroyed it, he destroyed that whole damned school for us and sacrificed himself doing it. The whole place was in rubble, but we survived.”

“Good, I knew you would make it. That’s all I ever wanted,” you mused, tugging him down into a warm kiss without warning, feeling him return it as eagerly as you had initiated it. But just as it had started it ended, him pulling away moments too soon as his eyes fluttered open, reaching up to stroke your cheek affectionately. Just as he did so, however, a wave of vertigo ran through your body, the room spinning as you removed your arms from his shoulders to grip your head instead. He stumbled as well, his face contorted into a look of pain as he followed suit. 

It felt as if your head was being split in two as several memories flashed through your mind, each one sending a surge of pain to your temples. They were so important, though somehow you had forgotten each and every one. The morning you met Kokichi in middle school during your first day, how you had become friends almost in an instant. From there you had only gotten closer and closer, eating lunch under the same old oak tree every day and opening up to one another during your time together. 

The memories from high school were even more vivid, the nightmare you always had beginning at the start of ninth grade, always the same scene over and over again. He never failed to comfort you during those times, no matter how much sleep he lost. As you grew older the dreams faded, but real life had turned into more of a nightmare than it had been formerly. The harassment from your peers, especially the male ones, had grown out of hand. Kokichi tried to protect you though it all, though in the end he couldn’t put it to an end. And so you ended up…

Slowly the dizziness that crippled you faded, though the headache from the newfound memories remained, throbbing at your skull like a stab from a knife. Wincing, you sucked in the air through your teeth as you forced yourself to look up, your gaze meeting Kokichi’s with identical expressions. Whatever you had just seen, he did too. 

You were the first to speak through the heavy silence, voice barely audible as you whispered, “We were…”

“Best friends,” he confirmed, just as quiet. His mind seemed to be going a mile a minute as he processed the information, muttering something incomprehensible underneath his breath before hiding it with a smile, nodding quickly, “How could we ever forget that? We’ve known each other since middle school.”

You returned the grin, taking his hands in your own as you let out a giggle, “Yes! We used to hang out every day, you were on a first-name basis with my freaking mom!”

“I know, it used to annoy you so much; I had so much fun embarrassing you in front of your family,” he mused, eyes lighting up for a moment, “Oh, and your older sister used to hate me whenever I came over; I’d prank her all the time just to get on her nerves!” 

“Don’t remind me, you were relentless. You pranked  _ me _ too, I’ll never forget when you put hair dye in my shampoo,” you said, rolling your eyes with a feigned shudder. “That’s why I liked going over to your house more, but your little brother was always bothering us.” Your eyes lit up in remembrance, “Wait, he had the biggest crush on me!”

“ _ I _ had the biggest crush on you,” you both admitted, letting out a gasp in sync at the revelation. You felt your cheeks heat up, his ears turning a bright pink to match. It was true, you liked him for the longest time, though never did you expect the confession to go quite like that. And you certainly didn’t imagine the circumstances that brought you to it in the first place. But instead of celebrating, you couldn’t help but wonder, “But… wait. Our memories… when were together in the game. It doesn’t match up.”

His expression darkened in an instant, shaking his head with dejection, “I know. Those memories… god I should’ve known it was true, but those weren’t real. You weren’t there for it, but we had one final trial after yours. We revisited Rantaro’s murder, and Shuichi revealed that Tsumugi was the mastermind behind it all,” he explained, earning a light gasp from you, “I know, I didn’t expect it either. But after that she told us… she told us that none of our memories were real. Our backstories, our talents, all of it was fake.”

“But why? Why would they go through the time of faking something like that?” you asked, the headache from before blooming again at your temples. 

He seemed uncharacteristically sheepish, squeezing your hand as he began, “Because, it was all for some morbid reality show. Everything was being recorded and streamed across the world for the audience’s sick enjoyment. They gave us these fake backstories to make us more interesting to their viewers.”

You could feel all the color drain from your face, going silent as all the words escaped your mind. A reality show? Without even realizing it, you were yelling, gaining the attention of the few around you, “What? Why would  _ anyone _ be twisted enough to watch a bunch of teenagers kill each other!? Our friends were dying,  _ I _ died! They found that shit entertaining!?”

“It’s fucking sick. I don’t know how any of this bullshit is legal, but that's why we were locked in that school. Trust me, I almost decked Tsumugi when she told us everything.” He clenched his fist, knuckles turning white with anger, “She… she even convinced me that our feelings were fake, that our whole friendship was fake. And I can handle being told we were never romantically involved, but even in our fake memories you were my best friend for years. So when she told me that wasn’t real… I… I just couldn’t stand the thought that we were never close.”

You pulled him closer, squeezing his hands as you pressed a chaste kiss to his cheek, “But she was wrong. We  _ are  _ close, and we  _ do _ have feelings for each other. You're my best friend, I could ever forget that, you know.”

“Yeah, and I can’t believe she convinced me otherwise,” he said, a mischievous grin forming on his lips, “I mean, who can forget being friends with a loser like you?”

“Ouch, that stung. But it’s good to have you back, I was starting to think all this serious shit broke you,” you mused, breaking out into a smile as you tugged him into a quick embrace, patting him on the back as you did so, “Now let’s cut all this sappy stuff and get to the part where we’re grossly making out for all the others to see.”

He wiggled his eyebrows, pulling away only to inch his face closer to yours, “I’m okay with that.”

“No, no, I didn’t mean it! I take it back, I take it back!” you giggled, wiggling out of his grasp and stumbling backwards, colliding with a figure not too far behind you. With a gasp you stopped in your tracks, cheeks flushing as you turned around to apologize, “Oh my god, I’m sorry-”

Your voice caught in your throat when your eyes met hers, flushed with a bloodshot pink as she tried to keep her composure. Before you could react she extended her arms towards you, wrapping your form in an embrace as she rested her head on your shoulder, long locks of blonde hair cascading down to settle on your arm.  Returning the hug, you could feel the fabric of your blouse grow damp where her cheeks brushed against it, causing tears to sting at the corners of your eyes as well. Of course, how could you ever forget that Miu was okay too?

Soothingly rubbing your hand up and down her back, you took a deep breath, squeezing her tightly as you spoke, “Hey, it really has been a while, huh?”

She sniffled in response, nuzzling your shoulder as she began to respond, “I-I’m sorry, (y/n). I shouldn’t have… I really can’t believe I would… I’m so fucking sorry. If I actually did…” She choked on her words, forcing herself to finish the thought as she lifted her head up, “...kill you, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, I know. You’re one of my closest friends, and you know I don’t blame you for any of it. It’s not your fault we were stuck in that damned killing game,” you explained, pulling away to rest your hands on her shoulders.

She shook her head and stood up straight, wiping her eyes with the ends of her sleeves, “You should blame me. I don’t even know what happened or how I’m even here now, but in the game I could’ve decided not to kill anyone. But I was a coward, I tried to kill my best fucking friend. How pathetic can I get? You were the one fucking person I could trust and I tried to betray you.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt this moment, especially because I know how much you hate me, Miu, but you’re not pathetic,” Kokichi disagreed, taking a step closer to the two of you. He looked her in the eye, his voice confident as he spoke, “You hesitated.”

“What?” she asked, letting go of you completely.

A smile pulled at the corners of his lips, though it wasn’t taunting. The expression he wore, it was almost knowing as he continued, “You heard me, Miu. I was there, don’t you remember? When you were about to hit her, you hesitated, and that’s how Gonta was able to catch you in time. But that’s not pathetic, what would be pathetic is if you were able to kill your best friend with no remorse.” His gaze flashed darkly over to Maki, who Kaito had just enveloped in a tight hug, “If you were able to kill  _ anyone _ with no remorse.”

Miu followed his line of sight, scrunching up her eyebrows, “Maki…? I knew that bitch was going to end up killing someone! Who was it?”

You casted your gaze to the floor, trying to figure out the words to tell her, “Um… It was me, she killed me a few days after Gonta’s execution. A lot of shit went down after you died, and long story short, she thought I was working with the mastermind. So she killed me in my lab…” you trailed off, letting out a small sigh, “I don’t blame her.”

“Well I fucking do! Why the hell would she think that in the first place!?” Miu asked, the previous self-loathing in her tone gone. 

Before you could answer Kokichi butted in, barely able to meet her eyes, “It was my fault. I told the others I was the mastermind. I explained everything after she died, but I had a plan to trick the real one and end the game. I used the remote you made for the Exisals and everyone else seemed to believe me. But since (y/n) and I were so close, Maki thought she was working with me and killed her.”

Miu shook her head, though she wasn’t nearly as angry as you thought she would be, “Wow, you are  _ such _ a fucking idiot! Do you really think you could go pretending to be the mastermind without any repercussions!? And you-” She gripped your shoulders and turned you around to face her, “-Why the hell do you never fight back!? When I was about to fucking deck you with that hammer you didn’t even try to escape!”

Her question resonated through your mind, any words you were about to say stopping in your throat. You hadn’t even realized your habits back in the game, but now that Miu was bringing it to your attention you couldn’t help but wonder the same thing. Why didn’t you ever fight back? Sure, with Maki you struggled, but did you try nearly as hard as you should’ve? Nervously you looked up, seeing as Kokichi’s expression changed to one of worry.

“I… I don’t know. I really don’t know, maybe I was just scared?” you guessed, though you didn’t sound too sure of yourself, “I dont… you don’t really know how you’re going to react in a situation like that, I guess I was just too scared to do anything.”

Miu raised an eyebrow at the response, crossing her arms skeptically. Instead of questioning you, however, she turned her attention to the rest of the room, “Yeah, I guess,” she said with a sigh, motioning towards the pods a moment later, “But does anyone know how the fuck we ended up in these things? One minute I was dead and the next thing I knew I in there.”

“I have no idea, I woke up right after we left the academy. It seemed like as soon as we stepped outside those gates we ended up here,” Kokichi explained, giving a smirk as he continued, “I thought I had died for real, but at least my death would’ve been way cooler than (y/n)’s.”

You shoved him, a grin tugging at the corners of your lips, “Hey, being killed by an assassin is a badass way to go! And a painful one, at that. Have you ever been stabbed with a freaking dagger!? It’s not fun.”

“No, but I’ve been choked by her a few times. I felt so special,” he joked, rubbing his throat in a bitter remembrance, “I think that might be her kink. I wonder if she ever choked Kaito.”

“Oh she’s definitely choked Kaito. If she did that so often to someone she  _ hated _ , just imagine what she’d do to someone in bed. I bet she’s a freak,” Miu replied, the previously dark tone of the conversation seeming to have dissipated. 

“...Do you want to die?” a voice from behind you threatened, embarrassment clear in her tone as the words left her mouth. Your whole body went rigid with recognition as the other two turned towards the source, your limbs too numb to follow suit. It seemed as if you were stuck in your spot, every inch of your being paralyzed with a newly developed fear of the person just inches away. Her presence, the piercing eyes that bore into the back of your skull, sent your heart into overdrive. The faint smell of her perfume caused your breathing to hitch in your throat, face draining of all color.

Your senses had seemed to stop working, the only thing you were able to hear being the flow of blood from your quickened pulse roaring in your ears. It was only when a familiar hand fell to grip your shoulder that you were pulled out of your daze, blinking harshly before turning your attention to Kokichi. But instead of meeting your gaze, he was staring ahead of him with a look of disgust, gripping your shoulder tighter as he spoke, “Oh, look who it is. Our favorite little assassin. What do you want?”

“Nothing to do with you,” Maki replied hastily, her voice softening slightly as she continued, “I need to talk to (y/n).”

At the sincerity in her voice you turned to face her, your heart rate calming when you saw she was accompanied by Shuichi, an expression of remorse riddled across his features. Finding the courage to speak, you were about to start when Miu cut you off, following Kokichi’s actions and squeezing your shoulder, “I don’t really think that will be a good idea, whisper tits.”

“Hey, I’m alright guys, calm down. I’m not a child, let me speak for myself,” you said, though your voice wavered near the end. Bringing your line of sight to meet Maki’s eyes, you felt yourself hesitate under her gaze, though you continued regardless with a weak tone, “Alright, let’s talk.”

She nodded bluntly, motioning to an empty spot of the room far enough so that no one could overhear your conversation, heading over to it with you in tow. Shuichi stayed behind with Kokichi and Miu, whispering a soft apology under his breath as you passed him. You could tell he had more to say, the rest of his reparation waiting on his lips for when you returned, watching with worry as your anxious form stood before Maki, waiting for her to speak. 

She looked to the floor with an unnatural timidness to her, biting the inside of her cheek harshly as she began, “I’m sorry. I should’ve listened to you back when we were in your lab, when you told me to put down the knife.”

You were taken back by the bluntness of it all, but the apology was enough to release the tension building up in your shoulders. A wave of relief coursed through your body as your posture relaxed, taking a moment to calm the knot of fear embedded in the pit of your stomach before responding, “Yeah, you really should’ve. Do you know how much that shit hurt!?”

“Yes, I’ve been hurt in a similar way a few times back when I first became an assassin. They told me it was to build up my resilience,” she explained, a weak grin making its way to her features when she noticed the one that had just began to play on yours. It didn’t last long though, as her expression quickly dropped, “You were innocent, though, you didn’t deserve to be hurt like that. I just wanted to protect the others.”

“I know, I understand why you did it. Kaito and Shuichi, they’re like your Kokichi and Miu. You’d do anything to protect them, just like I’d do for those two. You wanted to get them out of that twisted game, and although that doesn’t excuse  _ killing me _ , I know your motivation, and I forgive you,” you said, crossing your arms, “But, that still doesn’t let you off the hook. Once we get out of here, wherever we are, you’re buying me lunch.”

The smile she wore previously returned to her lips, the corners of her mouth quirking upwards so subtly one could barely notice, but you could see it clear as day as she rolled her eyes, “I guess I have no choice.”

“Nope, it’s a rule. If you kill someone, it’s only polite that you buy them a meal,” you joked, motioning back towards the center of the room where Kokichi, Miu, and Shuichi were waiting, “Let’s head back, I haven’t had a chance to talk to Shuichi yet.”

With a turn of your heel you started towards the others, though Maki stopped you before you could get very far, her fingers clasping around your wrist with a strong grip as she spoke, “Hey, (y/n)?”

“Yeah?” you asked, looking back with a quirked brow.

Her expression had shifted to one of sincerity as she released your arm, dropping her hand to her side, “Thanks. For forgiving me.”

“No problem. I never thought I would be forgiving someone for killing me, but it’s not your fault. We were locked in a game that forced us against one another, and you believed I was a threat. Anyone would’ve felt the same way, Maki. Just… don’t kill me again. That hurt like a bitch,” you joked, your fingertips subconsciously reaching up to ghost over the area her knife had hit.

She noticed the motion, face seeming to pale as her gaze met your stomach. Although you were alive and well, you could tell by the way her eyes refused to meet yours that she was picturing it. Standing over your body with remorse as your crumpled form lied below her, blanched with death as a crimson painted your torso. Shaking her head subtly, she spoke “Sorry, I won’t. That’s a promise. I don’t kill my friends.”

You smiled, “Good, because your knife is  _ sharp _ . I’d rather get choked out than feel that again,” you joked, giving a fake shudder as you started back towards the group once again, “Now come on, I feel like if we stay here any longer Miu might just lose her mind.”

She nodded and followed close behind you, watching as they talked amongst themselves, Miu rapidly tapping her foot against the floor in impatience as they did so. At the sound of your shoes her head whipped towards you, a look of confusion crossing her features when she noticed the grin that tugged at your lips. Before you knew it she was bounding up to you, Kokichi following shortly behind as she began her questioning, “What the fuck happened? Are you alright?”

You rolled your eyes, brushing them off as you began, “Yeah, I’m fine. It’s not like she was going to try and kill me again. We’re not in the killing game anymore, so you can’t really judge someone for what they did at that academy,” you explained, pushing past the two to meet Shuichi, who seemed to be caught off guard by your presence, “And you, did you really think you were going to get away without giving me a hug?”

“I… no. It’s good to have you back, (y/n),” he said, a smile growing on his lips as you tugged him into a hug, his arms wrapped tightly around your waist. Just before you could pull away, however, he stopped you, his voice low as he whispered, “I’m sorry-”

“Shhh! I know what you’re going to say, and don’t. I’ve had enough apologies today, it’s starting to sound like a broken record. Besides… I forgive you,” you said, breaking away from the embrace and patting him on the shoulder clumsily. Just as you did so, a thought crossed your mind, “Actually, you know what?” 

He quirked an eyebrow, “What?”

You raised your fist, reeling it back and socking him on the arm as hard as you could. He flinched backwards, yelping at the impact, causing you to let out a small chuckle, “Okay,  _ now _ I forgive you. I just had to do that so you’ll remember not to divulge people’s secrets next time!”

“You hit  _ hard _ !” Shuichi exclaimed, rubbing the area your fist had landed, “You know how easily I bruise, this is going to be so dark.”

Kokichi gave a loud laugh, bounding up beside Shuichi to prod him on the torso, “You got beat up by a girl! Oh man, I didn’t know you were that weak, I bet even Kiibo could take you down-”

Before he could finish you hit him on the arm as well, Kokichi stumbling into Shuichi from the force, knocking both of them onto the floor with a dull thud. You couldn’t contain yourself as a giggle escaped your lips, Miu doing the same as they struggled to pull themselves up, groaning from the pain. 

Rubbing the back of his head, Kokichi got to his feet, narrowing his eyes once his gaze met yours, “What the hell was that for!?”

“Really? Pretending to be the freaking mastermind!? Do you think I was just gonna let you get away with that? You are literally the biggest idiot I’ve ever met,” you explained, crossing your arms as an amused smirk played on your lips, “Of course, I forgive you both for being idiots, but I needed to do that before I could.”

The two exchanged a look, Shuichi nodding with a knowing grin as Kokichi gave a light chuckle, shaking his head in disbelief. You quirked an eyebrow, motioning to the both of them in confusion, “What is this? This thing going on right here? I’ve never seen you guys get along, this is really weird.”

Shuichi opened his mouth to respond, but before he could the room fell eerily quiet within a split second, the only thing you could hear being the hitched breathing of your peers, mixed with a few hushed whispers. You looked around for the source, following Maki’s stare towards the other end of the room where a pure white door was located. A metallic clang rang out through the silence, and just then did you notice  _ it _ . On the front was a silver doorknob with a metallic lock, which had just began to turn from the other side. 

Your hand subconsciously reached down to grab Kokichi’s, your fingers intertwining as he moved closer to the crowd that started to form, pulling you close behind him. From what you could tell the others followed close behind, everyone hesitant as the door finally opened, the hinges squeaking as it revealed the person that lied beyond.

“...Tsumugi?”

You shook your head, taking a step back as she entered the room, a small timid girl by her side as two large guards followed close behind. You failed to notice as you exited the pods that there was one missing, one person who failed to reunite with everyone else. 

It was unreal, there’s no way it could’ve been her. The Tsumugi you knew was much younger, a plain face with long flowing hair that reached her back. She was always polite, she was always a friend. But as you stared at this woman, desperate for answers, it became clear. This was Tsumugi, but not the one you had become acquainted with. 

Her features were the same as how they were in the simulator, though much more mature. If you had to guess, you’d say she was in her twenties. The long flowing hair you once associated with her was cut short into a bob of sorts, and her school uniform was traded for business attire. The workers around her treated her with respect, that only given to a superior. What tied it all together, however, was the badge she wore around her neck. In bold letters it read “Team Danganronpa”, her name printed right below it. 

“I know this is all very strange for you guys, but truth be told, this isn’t the first time you’ve seen me like this. Your memories are just starting to come back, so I don’t blame you for your confusion,” She explained, pushing up her glasses to the bridge of her nose, “I am still Tsumugi, though I’m far from the teenager you knew in the simulator. For those of you who made it out alive, you’d know I was the mastermind behind this game, hiding amongst you all to make sure everything went off without a hitch. In reality, that wasn’t exactly a lie. 

“Here at Team Danganronpa I am the chief manager. For the last few years I have not only chose the contestants, but have written each motive and execution. The writing team of course helps me out, especially with your backstories, but for the most part it’s all me. If you haven’t guessed, this was nothing more than a reality show. One that you all willingly signed up for, the final season of Danganronpa.”

A wary silence settled over the group as you processed the information you had been told. You… signed up for this? To watch your friends die? To be killed yourself? You could still feel the sting of the blade in your abdomen as your fingers subconsciously ghosted over the area, a shudder running down your spine from the contact. Though it was clear now you had never really been injured, let alone deceased, the memory seemed to be burned into your mind, leaving you with only one question. Why would you ever sign up for this?

Shuichi was the first person to speak his mind, his voice hoarse with emotion as his face paled, “Why? Why would we willingly sign up for something as cruel as this… this game? I can’t even remember doing something like that.”

“None of you do, but you will in time. A side effect of being in the simulator is memory loss, though everything usually comes back within a few months. Soon enough you’ll remember everything, from your auditions to your motivations for signing up, but since it’s so early on, I hardly expect you to recall any of that now. So, these will suffice,” she said, motioning to the assistant by her side. The timid girl nodded hastily, reaching in her bag and pulling out a stack of papers, giving them to Tsumugi gingerly.

“Are those…” You started, eyeing them skeptically.

She began to hand them out to everyone, “Contracts? Yes, you all signed one. I’ll even give them back to you all so you can see for yourselves. And if these don’t trigger a memory, at least you’ll have proof that you came here on your own accord.”

She pressed yours into your palms, the stack of papers weighty in your arms. Did you read all of this, or just speed through it and sign everywhere that had an “x”? Knowing you, it was most likely the latter. Flipping through the pages, you spotted your signature littered throughout the mess of text, rushed and sloppy, just like it always was. You really did sign this, didn’t you?

From beside you, you could see Kokichi doing the same thing, his eyebrows scrunching up as soon as he laid eyes on his signature. It was messier than yours by far, and seemed to change with every line signed. He never really got the hang of cursive, did he? Letting out a small chuckle, you got his attention, his eyes meeting yours quizzically, “What’s so funny?”

“Your signature. I mean, it looks like a five year old signed it,” you joked, eliciting a weak laugh from him. 

“Like yours is any better,” he began, reaching his arm over yours to point at your document, “What is this? It looks like some foreign language. I can’t even read these scribbles.” He flipped the page, “Is that French?”

You hit him on the shoulder, “Be quiet.”

The two of you appeared to be the only ones who had the nerve to joke, the rest of the group silent with shock. A part of you felt guilty for being so lighthearted, but then again, people cope differently. At some point in the game, everyone used humor to forget, you and Kokichi more so than anyone. But that was in the game, cloaked in lies and false memories. Was the real you different? Did it even matter anymore?

No.

As everyone calmed, finally mustering up enough courage to whisper amongst their peers, Tsumugi continued, an almost caring tone to her voice, “Now that you’re all filled in, I’ll tell you what will happen from here. Your parents and guardians have agreed to have their homes relocated, using some of the money from your paychecks, and have been moved into the same neighborhood. Since we wanted to keep you all together for the time being, we had to place you in a rather small town, though you’ll be happy to hear we’ve managed to situate you all within a ten-block radius of one another.”

A murmur of relief went though everyone, you letting out a deep sigh at the news. Never had it crossed your mind that you would be separated, though hearing that you wouldn’t be was still comforting. 

“But, before we can send you on your way to your new homes, you have to be admitted to our rehabilitation center for one month. There you will work on getting your memories back, will receive therapy from our best psychiatrist, and will begin tutoring to prepare you for your return to high school. Any questions?” she asked, her eyes scanning everyone expectantly. 

No one responded, a lingering silence hanging in the air. Tsumugi let out a soft hum, giving a nod and turning on her heel, motioning for her assistant to follow, stopping just before she reached the door, “When you’re ready, these two here-” she motioned to the two large guards who followed her inside, “-will lead you to the bus. It will be taken straight to the rehabilitation center, where your clothes and any personal items have already been sent by your parents.”

And with that, she left. Nobody knew what to do, what to say even, as you stood there in shock. Your fingers curled around the contract you still held in your hands, hugging it to your chest. The motion felt natural, maybe you used to hold your school books in the same manner?

One by one people began to file out of the building, escorted by one of the guards to the bus waiting outside. It took a while for your feet to feel unstuck from their place on the floor as you stared blankly at the wall. After taking everything in, your head hurt. It was a dull throbbing in your temples, accompanied by a wave of fatigue that clouded your mind. You were tired, so tired, but all you could do was stand there, only feeling the papers beneath your fingertips. 

It took Kokichi three times before he finally snapped you out of your daze, gently shaking your shoulder as he called out to you. His voice was much quieter than you had ever heard before, soft and shaky as he spoke, “(y/n)? Come on, we have to go.”

“Sorry, I just… I was just thinking,” you apologized, feeling as he intertwined his fingers with yours. The motion was comforting, bringing a faint smile to your lips as he began to lead you out of the building, his movements slow and wary. He was tired too, just as much as you were, but as you felt his hand in yours you seemed a little less so. 

After all, you were finally free. 

 

_ Your hand hesitated, the pen gripped in your fingers hovering just inches above the paper. After this, there was no turning back. You’d be entered into the game you always dreamed of being in, all your memories erased only to be replaced with false ones dreamt up by complete strangers. You had no idea what they would be, who you would become, but it was what you wanted… or so you thought. Ever since you were in middle school you were a fan of Danganronpa, almost to the point of obsession, but now as you stood before this woman you couldn’t help but feel reluctant. _

_ She called herself Tsumugi, smiling sweetly as she explained to the seventeen of you the risks and benefits of entering the killing game. Severe emotional trauma, memory loss, fame, a large fortune. The latter two were almost too tempting to throw away, despite the obvious repercussions that came along with signing the contract. You kept telling yourself as you stared at it that it was what you wanted, no, what you needed. It was your chance to get away from your old life and become someone else, someone new. Someone better. _

_ Casting a glance over at Kokichi, you could see the uncertainty on his face as well, but when he caught your eye he flashed a smile, nudging your arm playfully, “What are you waiting for? Let’s do this.” _

_ “I… alright. As long as you sign yours too, I see you hesitating over there. You better not leave me all alone to die,” you joked, earning a chuckle from him. _

_ He twirled the pen in his fingers before swiftly signing the first line of many, looking to you as if it were a challenge, “You know I wouldn’t leave you alone in something like this, loser. So there, it’s your turn. Or… are you a coward? Is little (y/n) scared of being on her favorite show?” _

_ “Of course I’m not, I’ve wanted to do this since I was a kid,” you retaliated, more conviction in your voice than you had felt before. Impetuously, you signed the line before you with a messy signature, flipping to the next page and signing wherever it was required, “See, I’m not a coward. This is my freaking dream, I’m not gonna pass up an opportunity to be on Danganronpa.” _

_ He smiled, following suit, “There you go, that’s the excitement I wanted to see. Let’s do this, (y/n). We’re going to survive to the end of the game, you hear me?” _

_ “Of course, let’s just hope I don’t kill you when our memories get erased,” you joked. _

_ “You won’t, I’m too lovable to kill.” _

_ You grinned, nudging him with your shoulder, “Sure you are. Now hurry up, the sooner we finish signing these the sooner we can meet the others.” _

_ “Alright, fine” he sighed, pausing or a moment to shoot you a look of curiosity, “Do you think you’re going to be friends with any of them?” _

_ “I really hope so.” _

 

_ Seventeen/Seventeen _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Before you leave, I just wanted to thank everyone once again for reading and enjoying this! It's always been a passion of mine to write, and seeing this get so popular is like a dream come true! So thank you all so much, and I'm really going to miss this... Maybe that's why I'm going to write a sequel.


	11. A/N - SEQUEL

Okay so I know these author notes are sometimes tacky, but I wanted to get the word out that I finally posted the sequel to this fic on here and Wattpad! It's called Detriment and it's Remedy, and it's about how all these characters are effected by the aftermath of the killing game. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy and share my excitement for it's release!!!

 

**Synopsis  
** _Let's face it, you wanted to be famous. It was hard to convince yourself after the killing game that you had any other motive, because you knew that underneath all the lies and denial you kept locked away within your mind, you had wanted that life. Prayed for that life. Hell, you were willing to die for that life. But at what price? Was it really wise to sacrifice your sanity for the inevitable spotlight, or will the mental burden become too much for you to handle?_

_The price of being a reality TV star is steep, haunted by the horrors of the past only made worse by the crew who granted you that fame. From sudden post-game interviews to fans and harassers, it feels almost impossible to make this life one you could really enjoy. But thank god, you weren't alone anymore._


End file.
